5. POMACANTHUS. 55 



the dorsal and anal fins rounded posteriorly. Body yeUowish-red 

 anteriorly, and bro"«-nisli-%iolet behind the pectoral fins ; anteriorly 

 with blue longitudinal bands, posteriorly ■\\ith numerous blue spots, 

 arranged in longitudinal series ; anal with a pair of blue longitudinal 

 bands ; caudal yellowish-red. (BI.) 

 Sea of Batavia. 



36. Holacanthus melanosoma. 



Sleeker, Solor, p. 78. 



D.H A.^. L.lat. 100. 



The praeoperculai" spine is about as long as the diameter of the 

 eye ; the dorsal and anal fins rounded posteriorly. Black : head 

 anteriorly spotted with yellow ; the dorsal and anal fins posteriorly 

 yeUow-edged ; caudal yellow, with a black transverse spot. {Bl.) 



Sea of Lawajong (Solor). 



5. POMACANTHUS. 



Pomacantlius, Lacep. iv. p. 517; Cuv. &■ Val. vii. p. 200. 



Body compressed and much elevated. Praeoperculum with a 

 strong spine at the angle. One dorsal, entirely scaly, with eight to 

 ten spines, the anal -wdth three. No teeth on the palate. Scales 

 rather small. Six branchiostegals ; air-bladder present ; jiyloric 

 appendages in increased number. 



Atlantic coasts of Tropical America. 



The scales of the fishes of this genus, or rather subgenus, have a 

 great tendency towards irregularity of size and arrangement, as in 

 several species of Holacanthus. Smaller and larger scales are mixed 

 together, the former generally predominating in young individuals. 

 Cuvier has established not less than six species for a single one (!). 



1. Pomacanthus paru. 



Chirivita, Parra, pi. G. f. 1 tt 2. 



Paru, Marcgr. p. l44. 



Gu.aperva, Marcgr. p. 178. 



Acarauua nigra, Willughhy, pi. 0. 3. f. 4. 



Seba, iii. 2.5. 5 & 6. 



Chsetodou arcuatus, L. 3fus. Ad. Frid. pi. 33. f. 5 ; Bl. taf. 201. f. 2 ; 



Bl. Schn. p. 218. 



no. 4, Brown, Jamaica, p. 4-54. 



aui'Bus, Bloch, taf. 193. f. 1 (not good) ; Bl. Schn. p. 217. 



paru, Bloch, taf. 197 ; Bl. Schn. p. 217. 



Pomacanthus lutesceus, Lacep. iv. pp. 518, 521, 523. 



aureus, Cue. i^- Val. vii. p. 202. 



paru, Car. S)- Val. vii. p. 205. 



balteatus, Cuv. S,- Val. vii. p. 208. 



cingulatus, Cur. df Val. vii. p. 209. pi. 185 ; Casteln. Aniin. near. 



oil rares Amer. du Siul, Poiss. p. 20. 



