50 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 



interorbital space 1.7 in the eye, which is 3.4 in the head. Third dorsal spine 

 3.4, third last dorsal ray 1.9 in the head. Third last anal ray 1.9, pectoral 1.3, 

 ventral 1.3 in the head. 



Body compressed, broadest at the operculum. Head moderately pointed, 

 the upper profile from the snout to the first dorsal spine very slightly convex. 

 Caudal peduncle broad and compressed. Head with several series of mucous 

 canals extending around the eyes, along the margins of the preorbital, preoper- 

 culum, and tip of opercular lobe. Two other series descend obliquely backwards 

 from the side of the nape, the first to above the preoperculum and the second 

 to the origin of the lateral line. Mandible with three pores on each side below. 

 Nostrils almost on the upper surface of the snout, the anterior in a low tube, the 

 posterior a simple opening. Maxillary not quite reaching the verticle of the 

 middle of the eye. 



Teeth cardiform and in a single series on the side of the upper jaw; a 

 band of villiform teeth anteriorly, with two very strong curved canines on 

 either side of the symplrysis. A villiform band on the mandible anteriorly ; on 

 the sides they are cardiform and increase in size to the middle of each ramus, 

 where they become abruptly minute. A small canine on each side of the 

 mandibular symphysis, followed by a very large, curved one which overlaps 

 the upper jaw. A single row of moderately strong teeth on the vomer, and a 

 few on the end of each palatine. 



Body covered with moderately large, ctenoid scales, which extend forward 

 to the interorbital space and sides of the head. They are arranged in five or 

 six rows on the cheek, and are very large and irregular on the operculum. Bases 

 of dorsal and anal fins protected by a low sheath of scales, and the basal half 

 of the caudal is similarly covered. Lateral line rising rapidly from the oper- 

 culum towards the back, with which it is parallel to below the fifteenth dorsal 

 ray; it is separated from the base of the dorsal by two scales. Six rows below 

 its interruption, it recommences, and extends along the middle of the caudal 

 peduncle. There are thirty-nine rows between the upper end of the gill-opening 

 and the hypural. 



Dorsal fin originating over the end of the operculum. The spines and 

 anterior rays increase rapidly in height, but those of the remainder of the fin 

 are subequal in length, increasing only slightly to the third last; the latter 

 reaches the end of the first fourth of the caudal when adpressed. Pectoral 

 rounded, the seventh ray longest, not quite reaching the verticle of the vent. 

 Ventrals elongate, pointed, inserted below the anterior base of the pectoral. 

 Caudal moderately pointed, the tip rounded. 



Colour. — Uniform brown after long preservation, the dorsal, anal, and 

 ventrals darker. Each scale of the body has a dark basal spot. 



