5. MONACANTHUS. 229 



5. MONACANTHUS*. 



Mouacanthus et Alutarius, Cuv. Riyne An. 



Steplianolepis, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Philad. 18G1, p. 78. 



Mouacanthus, Cbfctodermis, Paramonacanthus, Amauses (Gray), 

 Pseudomunaiantlms, Li ouiou acanthus, Oxyiuonacanthus, Bracha- 

 luteres, Acantlialuteivs, Ceratacautlius, Paralutcres, Pseudaluteres, 

 Aluteres, Bhtk. Ned. Tyds. Dicrk. iii. 186(3, pp. 11-lG. 



Body compressed, covered Mith very small or miimte rough scales ; 

 adult males of some of the species with a peculiar armature on the 

 side of the tail, which, in females, is much less developed, or entirely 

 ahscnt. Upper jaw with a double series of incisor-like teeth, six in 

 the outer, and four in the inner series ; lower jaw with six similar 

 teeth in a single series. The first dorsal fin reduced to a single 

 strong spine, behind which generally another rudimentary spine. 

 Ventral fins reduced to a simple osseous fixed or moveable small 

 a2)pcndagc, which is sometimes rudimentary or entirely absent. No 

 barbel. Vcrtebrte Yirn* 



Tropical and subtropical seas. 



* 1. Monacanthus pusillus, Rvpp. Atl. Fisch. p. 34. — Massowah. 



2. Balistes freycineti, Ctiv. in Q. cj-. G. Voy. Uran. Zool. p. 213; Monacan- 



thus freycineti, Hollard, Ann. Sc. Nat. 1854, ii. p. ;i3t3, pi. 12. fig. 3. — 

 Mauritias. 



3. broccus, Mitch. Trans. Lit. tf- Phil. Soc. New York, i. p. 467 ; 



Dekay, N. York Faun. Fish. p. 3.3.5, pi. 56. fig. 183.— New York. 



4. Aleutorius maculosus, Richardson, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1840, March lOih ; 



Trans. Zool. Soc. iii. p. 170 ; Voy. Ereb. cf Terr. Fish. p. 67. pi. 39. 

 figs. 5-7 ; Hollard, Ann. Sc. Nat. 1854, ii. p. 359. — Tasmania, New 

 South Wides. 



5. Monacanthus brevispinosus, Hollard, Ann. Sc. Nat. 1854, ii. p. 335. — 



Indian Ocean. — D. 36. A. 34. Dorsal and anal fins much elevated in 

 front ; profile of forehead rather convex. 



6. i'reycineti, Hollard, I. c. p. 336, pi. 12. fig. 3, from New South 



Wales and Mauritius, is probably identical with one of our Australian 

 species ; however, the caudal spines (which st^^nd in two series) are said 

 to have the points directed backwards. The profile of the snout ig 

 convex according to the description, but concave in the figure.- — D. 36. 

 A. 35. 



7. platifrons, Hollard, I. c. p. 341. — New South Wales. 



S. serrasquamosus, Hollard, I. e. p. 345. — Bay of Islands. 



9. tricuspis, Hollard, I. c. p. 351, pi. 13. fig. 3. — Indian Ocean. — 



D. 27. A. 27. 



10. dunicrihi, Hollard, I.e. p. 361. — Mauritius ? — D. 34. A. 31. 



Taches hictees semees sur un fond obscur. 



11. nitens, Hollard, I.e. p. 364, pL 14. fig. 4.— Tongatabu.— D. 30. 



A. 24. 



12. trachyderma, Bleck. Act. Soc. Sc. Indo-Neerl. viii. Japan, vi. p. 70. 



— Japan.— D. 26. A. 27. 



13. Ahiteres holbrookii, Hollard, Aim. Sc. Nat. 1855, iv. p. 7. — North 



Aniericfl.— D. 36. A. 39. 



14. Bahstcs cuspicauda, Mitch. Am. Month. May. ii. p. 326; Aluleres cuspi- 



cauda, Dckay, New York Faun. Fish. p. 3.'18, pi. 59. fig. 192 ; Storer, 

 Mem. Am. Ac. viii. 1861, p. 427 (pi. 35. fig. 2).— New York.— D. .-58. 

 .\. 42. 



15. Monacanthus lincolatus, Richards. Ichth. Chin. p. 2(11. — Cliina. — A. 34. 



