41. PRIAOANTHUS. 2l5 



Fourth Group. PRIACANTHINA. 



41. PRIACANTHUS*. 



Priacantlius, Cuv. ^- Val, iii. p. 96. 



Six branchiostegals. All the teeth villiform, without canines; 

 teeth on the palatine bones ; tongue smooth. One dorsal, with ten 

 spines; the anal fin with three. Operculum with an indistinct 

 point ; prseoperculum serrated, with a more or less prominent, flat, 

 crenulated angle. Scales small, rough ; snout covered with ctenoid 

 scales. Lower jaw with prominent chin ; eye large. 



Seas of the tropical regions (Australian Seas ?). 



1. Priacanthus macrophthalmus. 



Priacanthus macrophthahnus, Cuv. Sf Val. iii. p. 97 (not Block) ; 

 Stanniwi in 3lHller''s Archil', 1848, p. 399 (on the swim-bladder). 



arenatus, Cur. 8,- Val. iii. p. 101. 



fulgens, Lowe, Trans. Zool. Sac. ii. p. 174. 



D. -^, A. nrii- L- lat. 80-85. Vert. 9/13. C«c. pylor. 5. 



The height of the body is 3 i- in the total length, the length of the 

 head is rather more than one-fourth of the latter ; the diameter of 

 the eye is 2^ in the length of the head. The posterior opening of 

 the nostril is a long slit, three times as long as broad ; the maxillary 

 bone reaching a Httle beyond the anterior margin of the eye. Angle 

 of the pra)operculum obtuse, with a short flat spine in the male ; 

 opercidiim with two short spines ; sub- and interoperculum entire. 

 Caudalis truncated ; the dorsal and anal spines gradually becoming 

 longer behind, the first ones Avith a rough surface ; the length of the 

 second dorsal spine is If in that of the last ; the ventral fins reaching 

 beyond the front end of the anal, the pectorals much shorter. Uni- 

 form red ; fins with a blackish edge. 



Caribbean Sea ; Coast of Brazil ; Madeira. 



a. Fine specimen : male. Cuba. Presented by the Zoological Society. 

 b-e. Adult and half-grown : skins. Jamaica. From Dr. Parnell's 



Collection. 

 f-h. Half-grown : male. W. Indies. 

 i. Fine specimen : female. Madeira. Presented by the liev. E. T. 



Lowe (^ = Priacanthus ful</ens, Lowe). 



* 1. Labrus cruentatus, Lacep. iii. p. 522. pi. 2. f. 3. — Priacanthus cruehtatus, 

 Citv. 4- Val. iii. p. 102.— Atlantic. 



2. Priacanthus argenteus, Cuv. cf- Val. iii. p. 109; Renard, i. pi. 12. f. 72. — 



East Indies. 



3. Priacanthus macropterus, Cuv. tf- Val. vii. p. 471 ; Quoi/ cf- Gaim. Vai/. dc 



I'Asfrol. pi. 7. f. 4.— St. Helena. 



4. Priacanthus fax, Cuv. <^ Val. vii. p. 473. — Seychelles. 



