fISHES.-McCULLOCH. 



3T 



Family ATHERINID^. 



Genus Atherixa, Linnceus. 



Atherina danxevigi, sp. nov. 



(Plate xvi., fig. 2.) 



D. viii.-ix., i. 11. A. i., 1-3-13. P. 13-14. V. i. 5. C. 17. 

 Scales 73-75. 



Body very elongate, the depth 6' 5 to 7*3 in the length to 

 the hypural. Head 4 to 4*3. Eye 3 to 3^ in the head, equal 

 to or longer than the snout. 



IVIouth oblique, not very large, the gape reaching almost 

 to the anterior orbital rim ; maxillary continued backwards to 

 below the anterior third of the eye. The teeth are exceedingly 

 minute and appear to be present on the jaws, vomer and 

 palatines. Gill-rakers slender, equal to about half the length 

 of the eye, sixteen on the lower limb of the first arch. Upper 

 surface of the head flat, the interorbital width equal to the 

 diameter of the eye. Muciferous system well developed, with 

 large open pores. A row of about nine commences on the 

 snout and extends over the eye, then downwards and along 

 the upper margin of the opercles. Nine more are arranged 

 from behind the eye, around the angle of the preoperculum to 

 the mouth, where they join another row running along the 

 margin of the preorbital. Five more pores are found along 

 each ramus of the lower jaw. 



Scales extending forwards on the back as far as the hinder 

 portion of the eye, and there are about thirty-nine along the 

 mid-line of the back to the first dorsal, and twenty-four 

 between the two dorsals. Those on the sides of the body are 

 rounded but for a small median lobe which gives them an 

 angular appearance. There are three rows on the cheeks and 

 about seven on the operculum. They also extend well onto 

 the base of the caudal fin. 



Origin of the first dorsal behind the ventrals but well before 

 the middle of the distance between the tip of the snout and the 

 base of the tail ; second spine longest, equal to two-thirds or 

 more of the space between the tip of the snout and the hinder 

 ■orbital margin. Soft dorsal commencing over the first third of 

 the anal, its third ray a trifle shorter than the longest spines. 

 Anal similar to the soft dorsal but with a longer base. Origin 

 of ventrals almost midway between the snout and the end of 

 the anal, or a little nearer the latter. Pectorals reaching to 

 above the base of the ventrals. Vent between the ventrals 

 and rather nearer their tips than their bases. 



Colour. — Sandy yellow (in formalin), each scale of the 

 back margined with a row of minute brown dots. A silver 



