EDIBLE PISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 69 



Family XI.-BERYCID^. 



Brancliiostegals normally eight, in one genus (PoJj/mixia^ four. Body 

 oblong or rather elevated, compressed. Eyes large, except in Melamjjhaes, 

 lateral. Cleft of mouth lateral, oblique. Opercular bones more or less 

 armed. Villiform teeth in both jaws : present or absent on the vomer and 

 palatine bones. Ventral inns thoracic, with more that five rays, except in 

 Monocentris. Scales normally ctenid ; bony in Monocentrls, absent in 

 Anoplog aster, and eyelid in Melamplmes. 



Geoqraplncal distribution. — Tropical and temperate seas. 



Genus.— BERYX. 



Berijx, Cuv. Eegne Anim. ; Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat Poiss. iii. p. 226, 1829. 



Branchiostegals normally eight, exceptionally seven or nine : pseudo- 

 branchia) present. Eyes large. Snout short, with oblique cleft of mouth and 

 prominent chin. Body short and rather elevated, compressed. Opercular 

 bones serrated : preopercle without elongated spine at the angle. Villiform 

 teeth in both jaws, on the vomer, and on the palatine bones. One dorsal fin 

 with several spines : ventrals with seven or more rays. Scales moderate or 

 rather small, ctenid. Airbladder simple. Pyloric appendages in moderate 

 numbers. 



Geograjjldcal distribution. — Australian Seas; Indian Ocean; Madeira; 

 Japan. 



The genus Beryx is of exceptional interest, since to fossil forms of this 

 and closely allied genera belong the oldest known Teleostean Pishes ; "the 

 majority of the Acanthopterygians found in the chalk being representatives 

 of this family " {GilntJier). 



BERTX APPINIS. 



Beryx affinis, Gnth. Catal. Pish. i. p. 13, 1859 ; Casteln. Proc. Linn. Soc. 

 N. S. AVales, ii. p. 225, and iii. p. 365 ; Hector, Ann. Nat. Hist. 1877 

 (4) xix. p. 341 ; Macleay, Catal. Austr. Pish. i. p. 147 ; VToods, Pisher. 

 N. S. Wales, p. 51, pi. xv. ; Sherrin, Handb. N. Z. Pish. p. 68. 



Nanny gai. 

 Plate XXI. 



B. viii. D. 7/12. A. 4/12-13. V. 1/7. P. 13. C. 19. L. lat. 41-44. L. 



tr. 6/13. 



Length of head 3-50-3-75, of caudal fin 3-45-3-55, height of body 

 3"25-3'33 in the total length. Eye very large, its diameter one third of the 

 length of the head : snout short and rounded, deeply indented mesially, 

 1'50-1'66 in the diameter of the eye : interorbital space convex, 1'25-1*40 

 in the same. Nostrils approximate, subequal in size, the anterior sub- 

 circular, the posterior ovate and pierced on a higher plane. Upper profile of 

 the head rounded. Jaws equal, the lower with a prominent bony chin. Cleft 

 of mouth large and very oblique, the maxilla greatly dilated posteriorly, its 

 hinder margin sinuous ; it is, with the exception of the postero-inferior 

 angle, entirely overlaid by the supernumerary bone, the surface of which is 

 rugose, and which is posteriorly denticulated, extending to beneath the 

 posterior margin of the orbit. A lanceolate pentagonal groove between. 



