F1SHKS. — MCCULLOCH. Ill 



Family VELIFERIMJ. 



Genus Velifer, Schlegel. 



Velifer multiradiatus, Regan. 



(Plate xxiii.) 



Velifer multiradiatus, Regan. Proe. Zooi. Soe., 1907, p. 633. 



D. 43 ; A. 34 ; P. 15 ; V. 9 : 0. 10 ; 1. lat. 42. Body strongly 

 compressed, broadly ovate, its depth at the origin of the anal 1.67 

 in the length from the preorbital to the hypural. Head 3.48 in 

 the same. Eye 3 in the head, and about one fourth longer than 

 the snout ; it is a little narrower than the interorbital width, 

 which is 2.64 in the head. Depth of caudal peduncle equal to the 

 length of the snout. Pectoral 1.28 in the head. 



The dorsal and ventral profiles are about equally arched ; the 

 line from the snout to the first dorsal spine is almost straight, 

 that to the ventral fin is slightly concave below the mouth and 

 convex before the tin. The greatest height is at the base of the 

 third or fourth dorsal ray, and the lowest point is just before the 

 anal. The snout is tumid and fleshy, and is pitted with minute 

 pores. The nostrils are two oval openings separated by a small 

 free lobe, and are a little nearer the end of the snout than the 

 eye. When closed, the mouth is entirely hidden beneath the 

 preorbital bone, but it is very protractile. Maxillary short aud 

 rather broad posteriorly, not reaching backwards to the orbital 

 border ; lips thick and fleshy. Teeth apparently wanting. 



The whole body is covered with rather small, cycloid scales, 

 which are not very adherent ; they also extend onto the head and 

 lower jaw, leaving only the snout bare. Skinny sheaths, covered 

 with scales, cover the bases of the dorsal and anal tins, and the 

 first half of the caudal is also scaly. The lateral line is a little 

 arched anteriorly, thence straight to the middle of the caudal 

 peduncle ; there are about forty-two perforated scales along its 

 length, but there appear to be a greater number in a longitudinal 

 row. 



The anterior dorsal rays increase rapidly in length to the sixth, 

 which is broad and greatly produced ; the following ten become 

 regularly shorter, but the next six are broken off in my specimens. 

 The remaining rays form a rounded second dorsal, of which the 

 greater number are divided at the tips. The first anal ray is very 

 short, but is followed by about fifteen longer ones resembling 

 those of the first dorsal, of which the fourth aud fifth are the 

 longest, the others decreasing regularly backwards ; the posterior 

 eighteen rays form a second rounded fin as in the dorsal. The 

 ventrals are elongate, and consist of eight branched rays, and one 



