fishes of new zealand. 73 



Chilomycterus. 



Jaws without median suture ; body covered with dermal ossifications, 

 all, or most of which, consist of three horizontal roots and a stiff, erect, 

 immovable spine ; nasal tentacle either simple and with a pair of 

 lateral openings, or the upper part divided into two flattened portions ; 

 abdomen dilatable into a large sac. 



Tropical and subtropical seas. 



117. CHILOMYCTERUS JACULIFERUS. Cuv. CM. 



Porcupine Fish. 



Diodon, Sp. Cat. Col. Mus. C . jaculiferus, Giinth., VIII., 313. 



D. 16 ; A. 15. 



Two spines above the orbit, none in the middle of the forehead ; five 

 spines from the parietal spine to the side of the dorsal fin ; supraorbital, 

 dorsal, post-dorsal, and post-pectoral spines very long; those on the 

 lower parts small ; interorbital space flat ; the roots of four spines 

 suri'ound the tail. 



Above olivaceous brown, with fine cui-ved anastomosing lines of 

 white ; chin the same, but paler ; belly and sides white ; fins pale 

 olivaceous brown ; in front of the pectorals one large or two smaller 

 black blotches, with two or three small spots of bright yellow; behind 

 the pectorals several undefined black blotches, more or less marked 

 with bright yellow ; iris yellow. Common. 



Orthagoriscus. 



Jaws without median suture ; tail extremely short, truncate ; 

 vertical fins more or less confluent ; body compressed, short, covered 

 with a rough or tessellated skin not capable of being expanded by air ; 

 no ventral fins ; an accessory opercular gill. 



Trojjical and temperate regions. 



118. ORTHAGORISCUS TRUNCATUS. Lacep, 



Sun Fish. 



0. trimcatus, Giinth., VIII., 319. 



D. 17; A. 19; C. IG; P. 12. 



The height of the body is rather more (stuffed specimen) than lialf the 

 length ; skin divided into minute hexagonal scutellse, finely granulated, 

 and with a central point. 

 K 



