176 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



Family STROMATEIDAE. 



Genus Centrolophus, Laci'pkJe. 



Centrolophus maoricus, Ogilhy. 



(Plate xxvi., fig. 2.) 



Central opli as niaoriciis, Ogilby, Rec. Austr. Mus., ii. 5, 1893, p. 64. IJ., 

 Regan, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (7), x., 1902, p. 195, and Brit. Antarctic 

 Exped., Zool. i. 1, 191-i, p. 19, and i. 4, 1916, p. 144, pi. x., fig. 7 

 (post lai^va). 



D. 39 ; A. 25; P. 20 ; y. i/5 ; C. 17. One hundred and sixty or more 

 rows of scales below the lateral line between the operculum and the base 

 of the tail. 



Depth below the highest dorsal rays 4*08 in the length from the snout 

 to the base of the tail ; head 4-5 in the same. Eye slightly shorter than 

 the snout, 4'2 in the head. Interorbital width a little greater than the 

 length of the snout, which is 4 in the head. Longest dorsal and anal rays 

 about 25, pectoral 1"7, and ventral 3 in the head. 



Body compressed, the upper profile less arched than the lowei\ 

 Snout obtusely rounded, the upper profile of the head a little oblique, its 

 junction with the neck defined by a slight prominence. Nostrils approx- 

 imate, in the anterior third of the snout ; the anterior rounded and slightly 

 larger than the posterior, which is oval. Eye lai'ge, vertically elliptical, 

 and surrounded by a prominent naked lid. Mouth oblique, the maxilla 

 I'eaching to below the anterior portion of the eye. Teeth cardiform, in a 

 single row in each jaw, but irregular and almost biserial in the anterior 

 portion of the premaxillaries ; palate and tongue toothless. Gill-rakers 

 massive, flat, with setiform spines on their hinder margins ; thirteen on 

 the lower limb of the first arch, the length of the posterior almost equal 

 to half the width of the eye. Margins of the preoperculum, suboperculum 

 and interoperculum membranaceous and finely lobulate. 



Scales cover the greater part of the operculum, interoperculum and 

 suboperculum ; the rest of the head is naked and closely pitted with 

 minute pores. The scales commence abruptly on the nape, and extend 

 over the greater part of the vertical fins and onto the base of Ihe pectorals. 

 They are cycloid and concentrically striated ; where they are removed, 

 their pits often show a median pore. Lateral line extending backward 

 horizontally for a short distance, thence dipping towards the middle of the 

 body, which is reached above the origin of the anal fin. 



Dorsal fin originating above the end of the pectoral fin, its anterior 

 rays deeplj' imbedded in the skin and difficult to distinguish ; tliey increase 

 gradually in length to the eleventh, which, with a few following it, form 

 a slightly elevated lobe to the fin ; the rays then decrease gradually in 

 length backwards so that the margin of the fin is almost sti'aight. Anal 

 of similar form to the dorsal, the length of its base about once and two- 

 thirds in that of the dorsal ; the last ray is well behind that of the dorsal. 

 Caudal deeply emarginate, its lobes pointed. Ventrals small, inserted 

 before the vertical of the pectoral base ; the spine is weak, and the last 

 i"ay is united to the abdomen by membrane. 



