60 



Halibut J5A, Cuv. and A^'al. 



Diagnosis, etc., recorded in the Fishes of India. 



Key to the Indian species of the genus Halieut^a. 



I. Under surface of disk covered witli a thick, perfectly smooth, glandular 



skin ... ... ... ... ... ... 3. fumosa. 



n. Under surface of disk finely granular ; interorbital space decidedly 

 concave : — 



1. Four rays in the dorsal fin ... ... ... 11. stellaia. 



2. Five rays in the doisal fin... ... ... ... H. nigra. 



III. Under surface of disk with stellate spines ; interorbital space hardly 



concave ; five rays in the dorsal fin ... ... ... H. coccinea. 



38. Ilalieutcca stellata, Wahl. 



Synonomy recorded in the Fisltes of India. 



B. 6. D. 4. A. 4. P. 13. V. I. 5. C. 9. 



Tail, including the caiidal fin, about tbree-fourtbs tlie lengtli of the disk. 



Disk broader than long, very little elevated anteriorly. Dorsal surface 

 covered with stout sharp spines having a broad star-shaped base. The spines 

 on the edsfe of the disk and alonof the side of the tail are bifid or multifid, and 

 usually have numerous short filaments between them. 



Skin of the under surface of the disk finely granular. 



Eyes between - and - the length of the disk in diameter, and about a dia- 

 meter apart. Interorbital space decidedly concave. 

 Rostral tentacle three-lobed. 



Caudal about - the total length (itself included), not quite as long as the 



1 '* 



pectoral. Ventrals moderately broad, between - and ^ the length of the pecto- 

 rals. 



Parietal peritoneum moderately pigmented. 



Colours in life, pink : in spirit the dorsum is light brown with some black 

 streaks and patches. 



Has been taken in the Bay of Bengal at 98 to 102 fathoms and off the 

 Malabar coast at 68 to 148 fathoms. 



Distribution : Seas of India, Malay Archipelago, China, and Japan. 



39. Halieutcea nigra, Alcock. 



ffn/ieirfa'n nijra, Alcock, Ann, Mag. Nat. Uist. July, 1891, p. 24: Illostrations of the Zooiogt of tub 

 Investigator, Fishes, pl. XIX. fig. 2. 



B. 6, D, 5. A. 4. C. 9. P. 13. V. I. 5, 



