176 THIGLIDJE. 



Tc. Adult female : skeleton. China. 

 I, m. Ad\ilt. China. 



Skeleton. — ^The examination of the skeleton distinctly proves the 

 necessity of removing this species from Synanceia. The maxillary 

 is broad at the extremity, and provided with a longitudinal ridge ; 

 the descending branches of the intermuxiUary are -auch longer than 

 its posterior processes. The mandibula has a longitudinal ridge and 

 several wide pores. The vomer is triangular, Hat, with the anterior 

 part very broad, gradually tapering posteriorly. The bones forming 

 the bottom of the temporal and orbital grooves are firm, and joined 

 together. The infraorbitals form a very solid bridge with a rough 

 surface, and, together with the frontal, completely close the orbit. 

 The anterior part of the bridge is armed with two spines inferiorly, 

 and its posterior is broadly joined to the praeopercular ridge, com- 

 pletely covering the temporal groove. The praeoperculum has a 

 strong ridge, from which others radiate, terminating in spines on the 

 margin ; the operculum with two ridges. There is a deep quadran- 

 gular groove between the orbits, in which the posterior processes 

 of the intermaxillary are received. The crown is very broac and 

 flat, with two parallel ridges and several lateral protuberances. The 

 basal portion of the brain-capsule is flat and broad. The pubic bones 

 form together a semi-elliptical disk, with a styliform process poste- 

 riorly. There are ten abdominal and seventeen caudal vertebrae. 

 The neural, haemal, intemeural and interhaemal spines are of mo- 

 derate strength and length. 



40. PLATYCEPHALUS*. 



Platycephalus, Bl. Schn. p. 58 ; Cuv. Sf Val. iv. p. 226. 



Head broad, very depressed, more or less armed with spines ; body 

 depressed anteriorly, subcylindrical posteriorly, covered with ctenoid 

 scales. Lateral line present. Two dorsals : the first spine isolated 

 from the others. Ventrals thoracic, but rather remote from tlie root 

 of the pectorals ; no pectoral appendages. Jaws, vomer, and palatine 

 bones with bands of villiform teeth. Air-bladder none ; pyloric 

 appendages in moderate number. 



From Polynesia and the Australian Seas, through all the Indian 

 Seas to the Eastern coasts of Africa. 



* 1. Platycephalus borboniensis, Cuv.^ Val. iv. p. 252. — He de Prance. 



2. timoriensis, Cuv. Sf Val. iv. p. 254. — Timor. 



3. longiceps, Cuv. ^ Val. iv. p. 255. — Red Sea. 



4. ' vittatus, Cuv. 4" Val. ix. p. 462. — Malabar. 



5. crocodilus, Tiles, in Krusenst. Beise, pi. 59. f. 2 ; Cuv. 4' Val. iv. 



p. 256. — Japan. 



6. clavulatuB, Cant Catal. p. 38.— Pinang. — The skin ot a young spe- 

 cimen from Dr. Cantor's Cc^ection is in the British Museum, but Dr. 

 Cantor himself was not certain of its proper determination, marking it 

 as PI. clavulatus, juv. ? 



7. fuscus, Cuv. 4" Val. iv. p. 241. — Pacific. 



8. bassensis, Cuv. 4 Val. iv. p. 247 ; Quoy 4' Gaim, Voi/. Astral. Poiss. 



p. 683. pi. 10. f. 3.— Port Western. 



9. culteflatua, Richards. Ichth. Chin. p. 217. — China Soa. 



