BOTHIN^ 253 



Body ovate or rather elongate, broad in front, tapering behind, compressed. Eyes 

 on the left side, separated by a bony ridge or very narrow concave space ; interorbital 

 region similar in both sexes. No rostral or orbital spines. Olfactory lamina; in 

 moderate number, arranged transversely to or radiating from a fairly long central 

 rachis. Mouth small, protractile, the length of the maxillary 3! to 4I in that of head. 

 Jaws about equally developed on both sides, but dentition almost entirely confined 

 to blind side ; teeth all very small, pointed, more or less uniserial or in narrow bands 

 in both jaws ; vomer toothless. Gill-rakers few in number, very short, sometimes 

 rudimentary. Ilorsal fin commencing above nostrils of blind side and in front of or 

 above anterior edge of eye ; all the rays simple, scaled (at least on ocular side) ; first 

 two rays generally separated by an interspace from remainder of fin. Tip of first 

 interhjemal spine not projecting in front of anal fin. Pectoral fins unequal, that of 

 ocular side larger. Scales very small, all cycloid ; no supplementary scales. Lateral 

 line developed only on ocular side of body, with a distinct curve above the pectoral 

 fin ; without or with a very short supratemporal branch. Vent on blind side, above 

 first ray of anal fin. 



Eight or nine species from the Indo-Pacific. 



Synopsis of the Species. 

 I. Origin of dorsal above anterior nostril of blind side ; first two rays not 

 detached from remainder of fin, second and tliird a little prolonged ; 

 dorsal 103-106, anal 83-85 ...... i. nigromaculatus . 



II. Origin of dorsal above posterior nostril of blind side ; first two rays detached 

 from remainder of fin, but none of the rays prolonged (except in very 

 young). 



A. Dorsal 85-90, anal 67-70 ; head 3 to 33 in length ; eye 3 J to 4 J (5 J in 



young) in head ....... 2. macrophthalmus. 



B. Dorsal 95-115, anal 75-95 ; head 4 to 6J in length. 



1. Dorsal 95-104, anal 75-86 ; 89 to 100 scales in lateral line. 



a. Pectoral as long as or longer than head, which is 4 to 4§ in length 



3. nigrescens. 



b. Pectoral shorter than head, which is 4J to 5J in length. 

 n. Head 4J to 5J in length ; eye 3 to 3J in head. 



* Upper profile nearly straight above and behind eyes ; depth 

 2f, head 5J in length ; maxillary 4^ in head ; dorsal 104, 

 anal 86 ....... 4. parviceps. 



** Upper profile a little convex above and behind eyes ; depth 

 2 J to 3, head 4 J to 5 in length ; maxillary 4 to 4I in head ; 

 dorsal 97-102, anal 77-81 .... 5. guentheri. 



*•* Upper profile markedly convex above and behind eyes ; 

 depth 2j to 2j, head 5 to 5J in length ; maxillary a little 

 more than 4 in head ; dorsal 97-99, anal 75-77 . 6. natalensis. 

 /3. Head 5} in length ; eye 2^ in head ; depth nearly 3 in length 



7. kitaharcB. 



2. Dorsal 104-115, anal 85-95 ; 98 to 120 scales in lateral line. 



a. Pectoral shorter than head ; eye 2f or more in head. 



". Eye 2} to 3|, maxillary 3! to 3f in head ; first dorsal ray not 



prolonged ....... 8. lanceolata. 



/3. Eye 6^, maxillary about 3§ in head ; first dorsal ray filamentous, 



more than twice as long as head ... 9. variegata. 



b. Pectoral nearly twice as long as head ; eye 2^ to 2 J in head 10. pectoralis. 



Scianectes and Lambdopsetta are clearly synonyms of La-ops, and there seems to be 

 no valid reason for retaining Laophchthys as a distinct genus (see p. 260). In Lsops 

 ntgroniaciilatus the first two rays are continuous with the remainder of the dorsal fin, 

 but in other respects this species is a typical LcEops. 



