RHOMBOSOLEIN^ 



421 



Depth of body i§ to i| in the length, length of head 3 J to 4. Rostral hook 

 extending downwards nearly to level of hinder end of maxillary of ocular side. Lower 

 eye a little in advance of upper, diameter of which is 5 to 5^ in length of head and more 

 than twice the interorbital width. Maxillary not reaching anterior edge of eye, 

 length on ocular side about 5, on blind side 3 to 3^ in that of head ; lower jaw 3J to 

 3^ in head ; a few simple tentacles forming a fringe on lower lip of ocular side. Gill- 

 rakers rather large, 10 to 12 on lower part of anterior arch. Scales ctenoid, those of 

 ocular side more strongly denticulated than those of blind side ; 78 to 88 scales in 

 lateral line. Lateral line with a low curve above pectoral fin ; a short supratemporal 

 branch, not reaching base of dorsal fin. Dorsal (75) 78-86 ; highest rays iJ to twice 

 in length of head. Anal (50) 52-56. Pectoral of ocular side with 10 to 13 rays (9 or 

 10 branched), length 1} to twice in that of head ; pectoral of blind side of equal 

 length or a little shorter, pointed. Pelvic of ocular side with 7 rays, extending forward 

 nearly to rostral hook, sixth ray opposite first ray of pelvic of blind side, which has 

 3 or 4 (6) rays. Caudal with 18 or 19 rays (12 or 13 branched), rounded or subtruncate ; 

 caudal peduncle li to 3 times as deep as long. Intestine elongate. Coloration 

 varying from blackish to pale brown, with or without small dark dots ; pectoral 

 sometimes blackish. 



Type.— British Museum (Nat. Hist.). Reg. No. 48.3.18.245. 

 Distribution. — New South Wales, northwards to Port Jackson ; 

 Australia ; southern Western Australia ; Tasmania. 

 Specimens Examined : 



Port Jackson, New South Wales. 

 Pt. Hacking, 



Melbourne Markets, Victoria. 

 Flinders Island. 

 Norfolk Bay, Tasmania. 

 Soutii Australia. 

 ( King George's Sound, Western 

 - Australia. 

 I Australia. 

 This species attains to a length of about 12 inches. 



Victoria ; South 



Stead. 

 Austr. llus. 

 Degen. 

 Richardson. 



2. AMMOTRETIS BREVIPINNIS, Norman. 



Fig. 307. — Ammotretis brevipinn 



