274 PRISTIPOMATID^. 



2. Jaws toothless. 



Spines of the fins very strong 3. Macquaria. 



Spines of the fins feeble 24. Eeythrichthys. 



II. Anal Jin with more than three spines. 



Anal fin with five spines 25. Pentaprion. 



Anal fin with thirteen spines. No lateral line 26. Polycentrus. 



1. THERAPON*. 



Therapon, Cm\ Rbqne Amm. ; Cuv. 4" ^«^- iii- P- 125. 



Datnia, Cur. S,- Val. iii. p. 138. 



Pelates, Cuv. Eigne Anim. ; Cuv. i^ Val. iii. p. 145. 



Six branchiostegals. Eye of moderate size. Teeth viUiform in 

 both the jaws, deciduous on the vomer and the palatine bones. 

 Operculum spiniferous ; prseoperculum serrated. Dorsal more or 

 less notched, with twelve spines (in Th. caudovHtatt(s with thii'teen) ; 

 anal with three. Scales moderate. Air-bladder "ttdth two divisions, 

 an anterior and posterior, separated from each other by a contraction. 

 Caeca pylorica in moderate number. 



From the Red Sea to the Cape of Good Hope through the Indian 

 Ocean to the coasts of Australia. Several species entering rivers. 



1. Therapon theraps. 



Therapon theraps, Cuv. Sf Val. iii. p. 129. pi. 5.3 ; Blecker, Perc. p. 50 ; 

 Richards. Ann. ^ Mag. Nat. Hist. 1842, vol. ix. p. 126 ; Riqjp. Neue 

 Wirb. Ftsche, p. 95. 



D. 1|. A. |. L. lat. 55. Vert. 10/15. 



The height of the body is 3^ in the total length ; the length of 

 the head four times. The snout is li the interspace between the 

 eyes. Prseoperculum rounded, serrated, with moderate spinous 

 teeth at the angle ; opcrculiun with two spines, the lower of which 

 is elongate and strong. Greenish grey, with three straight brown 

 longitudinal bands, the inferior of which extends from the head to 

 the tail ; the spinous portion of the dorsal fin blackish between the 

 third and seventh spines ; two or three blackish bands obhquely 

 crossing each lobe of the caudal. 



AH the Indian Seas ; Chinese Sea ; False Bay : entering rivers. 



a. Adult. India. 



b. Half-grown. India. 



c. Many half-gTOwn and young specimens. East Indies. 



» 1. Therapon rubricatus, Richards. Ann. ^ Mag.N. H. 1842, vol. ix. p. 127. 

 — N. W. coast of Australia. 



2. microlepis, Rilppell, Vers. Fiscke des Senckenberg. Mus. p. 4. — 



Indian Ocean. 



3. Douzetianus, Hovihr. <^-Jacqidn. Voy. P6le Sud, Zool. iii., Poiss. p. 43. 



pi. 4. f. 2.— Hub. ? 



