162 " ENDEAVOUR " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



Genus Minous, Cuvier <£■ Valenciennes. 



MiNous VERSICOLOR, Ogllby. 



(Plate xxxii.) 



Minous versicolor, Ogilby, New Fish. Qld. Coast, 1911, p. 111. 



D. viii-ix.i 12-13; A. 10-11; P. 11 + 1; V. i.5 ; C. 12. 

 Head, from tip of lower jaw to end of opercular lobe 2-2 in 

 the length from the premaxillary symphysis to the hypural 

 joint ; height 2-6 in the same. Orbit 3-8, shorter than the 

 snout, which is 3-1 in the head. Interorbital space 4-9 in 

 the head. Pectoral 1-3, first dorsal spine 3, last dorsal spine 

 2-6 in the head. Fifth dorsal ray 2-3, and ninth anal ray 2-6 

 in the head. 



Head with granular bonj'' processes ; the intermediate 

 skinny areas covered with minute tubercles. Snout with two 

 diverging ridges on each side, which unite posteriorly and 

 form the anterior boundary of an antero-orbital groove. 

 Preorbital with a star-shaped cluster of ridges on its upper 

 surface, and two marginal spines of which the joosterior is 

 much the largest. Bony stay of cheek with a median tubercle 

 from which ridges radiate backwards and forwards. Anterior 

 portion of supraorbital bone carinate and granular ; supero- 

 posterior orbital margin with two granular tubercles. A deep 

 interorbital groove defined by longitudinal, granular ridges. 

 A broad, shallow occipital groove. A prominent nuchal 

 granular ridge on each side, which forms an obtuse spine 

 posteriorly. A granular tubercle above the suspension of the 

 preoperculum, another above the operculum, and one on the 

 suprascapular. A strong carinate preopercular spine, above 

 which is an angular projection on the margin of the pre- 

 operculum ; five others are present on the inferior border, of 

 Avhich the two lower ones are more or less quadrate. Oper- 

 culum with two ridges which do not terminate in spines. 



Lips covered with rounded papillae ; the mandible with a 

 number of short tentacles near the symphysis and a longer 

 barbel near the middle of each ramus. Eye with three 

 branched cirri on its upper portion. Teeth villiform, in bands 

 on the jaws, and forming two groups on the vomer. 



Body naked, smooth except on the breast and anterior 

 portion of the back, where it is tubercular like the head. 



1. Ogilby oounted nine and ten dorsal spines, but of five specimens four 

 have nine and one has eisrht. 



