i8 



Memoirs of the Indian Museum. 



[Vol. Ill, 



B. — Gill opening above pectoral. 



Familj' II, Malthidae. 



a. — A soft dorsal present. 



(a) Palate edentulous; 2 gills 



{a') Palate edentulous ; 2 J gills 



(a") Teeth on palate and vomers 

 b. — No soft dorsal . . 



II.— Head and body compressed or rounded. 



A. — Pectoral fin straight. 



Family III, Ceratiidae. 

 a. — vSkin smooth. 



(a) A pair of cephalic spines ; a jointed dor.sal fila- 

 ment situated behind the bead 

 {a'} Dorsal filament on snout 

 (a") Two dorsal filaments 

 b. — Skin covered with minute prickles 



Dibranchus. 

 Halieutaea. 

 Malthopsis. 

 Halicmetus. 



Lophodohis. 

 Melanocoetits. 

 Oneirodes. 

 Cer alias. 



B. — Pectoral fin distinctly elbowed. 



Family IV, Antennariidae. 



(a Body not much compressed; spinous dorsal 



consisting of i or 2 unprotected tentacles . . Chaunax. 



(h) Body compressed and elevated ; spinous dorsal 

 consisting of 3 spines, of which the first is 

 tentacular . . . . . . A ntennarius. 



Family MALTHIDAE. 

 Genus Halieutaea, Cuv. & Val. 



Key to the Indian species of Halieutaea. 



I. — Under surface of disk covered with perfectly smooth, 

 glandular, nearlj^ transparent skin. 



Five rays in the dorsal fin . . . . H. fumosa. 



II- — ^Under surface of disk bearing minute stellate spines 

 or granules covered with skin which is opaque or 

 .slightly translucent. 



A. — Four rays in the dorsal fin. 



((/) Roof of tentacular cavity extending forward 

 as far as the edge of the disk ; caudal and 

 pectoral fins not edged with black . . H. indica. 



