14. TRACHYNOTtJfl. 481 



1. Trachynotus ovatus 



Gasterosteus ovatus, L. Syst. Nat. i. p. 400. 

 Centronotus ovalis, Lac6p. iii. pp. 309, 31G. 



A, Synonyyny of the Atlantic specimens. 



Cluetodon rhomboides, liloch, taf. 209. 



Acanthinioii rhomboides, Lac6p. iv. p. 500. 



Spinous Dory, 3Iitch. Trans. Lit. df Phil. Soc. Netv York, i. pi. (5. f. 10. 



Trachinotus rhomboides, Ciiv. 8f Val. viii. p. 407 ; Guichcn. Poiss. in 



Ramon do la Sagra, Hist. Cuba, p. 108. 



fuscus, Cuv. 4* Val. viii. p. 410. 



teraia, Cuv. Sf Val. viii. p. 418. 



spinosus, Dekay, New York Fauna, Fishes, p. 117. pi. 19. f. 53 



(bad). 

 Lichia spinosa, Baird, Ninth Smithson. RepoH, p. 336. 

 Doliodon spinosus, Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad, 1858, p. 1G8. 



B. Synonymy of the Indian specimens, 



Valent. iii. p. 386. f. 118 ; ilenard, i. 27. 151. 



Scomber falcatus, Forsk. p. 57; 



Ca3siomorus blochii, Lacep. iii. p. 95. pi. 3. f. 2. 



Tracliinotus falcatus, Lacep. iii. p. 79; Riipp. Atl. Fische, p. 89; Cue. 



iSf Val. viii. p. 4.'J0. 

 Mookalee-parah, Russell, ii. p. 39. pi. 154. 

 Tra(;hinotus mookalee, Cur. ^ Val. viii. p. 423 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 120 ; 



lilecker, Verhand. Batav. Genootseh. xxiv. Makr. p. 48. 



blochii, Cut\ 8f Val. viii. p. 425. 



affinis, Cuv. i^ Val. viii. p. 428. 



faUnger, Ctiv. i^ Val. viii. p. 428. 



drepanis, Cuv. i^ Val. viii. p. 429. 



auratus, Richards. Ichth. Chin. p. 270. 



The height of the body is 2-2g in the total length, the length of 

 the head 5-5|, one of the caudal lobes 3^-4 times. The anterior 

 rays of the dorsal and anal more or less produced. Coloration uni- 

 form ; the dorsal, caudal, and anal lobes blackish or black. 



Atlantic coasts of tropical and temperate America, crossing the 

 ocean to the west coast of Africa ; Indian Ocean and Archipelago to 

 the coast of AustraKa. 



This species belongs to those uarangidce which inhabit the seas 

 of both hemispheres. The British Museum possesses specimens from 

 the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans, in which not the slightest differ- 

 ence can be detected. The specimens differ in the length of the lobes 

 of the fins, and in the height of the body, chiefly according tq their 

 age. Old specimens gradually lose the teeth*, and the anterior pro- 

 file of the snout is entirely vertical, whilst it inclines slightly back- 

 wards in immature fish. I suppose that the other species of 2Va- 

 chyiiiotus undergo similar changes. 



* See Cantor, Cat id. p. 121, and lilecker, Verhand. Batav. Genootseh. xxiv. 

 Makr. p. 48. 



VOL. II, 2 I 



