2. nOPLOSTETHUS. 9 



single strong spine and a few very short rays ; caudal not forked. 

 Swim-bladder? 

 Sea of Japan. 



1. Monocentris japonicus. 



Gastei'osteus Japonicus, Houttuyn, Act. Soc. Harl. xx. pt. 2. p. 329. 

 Sciaena catapnracta, Tlmnberfj, Nov. Act. Sclent. Siiec. xi. p. 102. tab. 3. 

 Monocentris carinata, Bl. Schn. p. 100. tab. 24 (copied). 

 Lepisacantlius japonicus, Lacep. iii. p. 321. 



Monocentris japonicus, Cuv. ^ Val. iv. p. 461. pi. 97; Faun. Japon. 

 p. 50. pi. 22. f. 1. 



D. 6 I 11. A. 10. P. 13. V. 1/2. L. lat. 13. L. transv. 2/4. 



Anterior dorsal and ventral spines very strong and thick. Head 

 shorter than the height of the body. 

 Sea of Japan. 



a. Adult. Japan. 



h. Adult : skin in spirits. Purchased of Mr. Frank. 



c, d. Adult : stuffed. China Seas. 



e. Half- grown : stutfcd. Purchased. 



2. HOPLOSTETHUS. 



Hoplostethus, Cuv. ^ Val. iv. p. 469. 

 Trachichthvs, sp., Lowe, Fishes of Madeira, p. 55. 



Muzzle very short, rounded, not protruding; cleft of mouth 

 oblique ; eye large. Exceedingly fine villiform teeth in both the 

 jaws and on the palatines, but none on the vomer. Eight branchio- 

 stegals. Operculum entire, a strong spine on the scapular bone 

 and at the angle of pra^operculum ; suborbital arch with radiating 

 ridges. Scales ctenoid, of moderate size ; abdomen serrated. One 

 dorsal with a spinous and with a. soft portion ; ventrals with six 

 soft rays ; pectoral blunt and rounded behind ; caudal deeply forked. 

 Swim-bliadder simple ; pyloric appendages numerous, 



Mediterranean ; coast of Madeira. 



1. Hoplostethus mediterraneus. 



Hoplostethus mediterraneus, Cttv. i<( Val. iv. p. 469. pi. 97 bis. ; 



Guichenot, Explor. AUjerie, Poiss p. 42. 

 Tracliichtliys pretiosus, Lowe, Siippl. FisJies of Madeira, in Proc. Zool. 



ISoc. 1839, p. 77, and Fishes of Madeira, p. 55. tab. 9. 



D. 1^: A.l V. 1/6. L. lat. 28-29. Vert. 11/15. 



Pectoral fin reaching beyond the origin of the anal fin ; the 

 serrated ventral keel composed of eleven to thirteen scales. Pale 

 reddish or rose-coloured. 



Mediterranean ; coast of Madeira. 



a. Adult. Madeira. Presented by the Zoological Society. 

 Skeleton. — Cfr. Owen, Osteol. Catal. i. p. 56. 



