EEVISION OF AUSTRALIAN THEEAPONS.—OGILBY AND McCULLOCU. 119 



THERAPON BANCROFTI sp. nov. 



(Plate XI, fig. 2.) 



PURPLE GRUNTER. 



Type locality : — Eureka Creek, Stannary Hills, N.Q. 



Body subovate, the dorsal and ventral contours sub-symmetrical in the young, 

 the former more strongly arched in the adult, its width 1-67 to 1-85 in its depth, 

 which is 2-67 to 2-8 in its length and equal to one sixth more than the length of the 

 head ; caudal peduncle a little longer than deep, its least depth 7-4 to 7.8 in the 

 body-length. Head about three tenths longer than deep, its upper profile linear or 

 feebly concave to above the middle of the eye, beyond which it merges into the occipito- 

 nuchal convexit}^ imperceptibly in the young but with a decided protuberance in the 

 adult, its width 1-6 to 1-8 in its length, which is 2-75 to 3-15 in that of the body. 

 Snout obtuse and broadly rounded anteriorly, its length 2-55 to 2-85 in that of the head ; 

 lips thick and fleshy. Eye small, its diameter 1-8 to 1-9 in the length of the snout 

 and 2 to 2-4 in the postorbital head ; interorbital region convex, its width 1-33 to 1-67 

 in the length of the snout. Maxillary not extending to the vertical from the anterior 

 border of the eye. Preorbital entire or with a few coarse denticles posteriorly ; pre- 

 opercle broadly rounded, the vertical limb and angle with coarse serrae, which become 

 blunted with age ; opercle with two spines, the lower the longer ; post-clavicle and 

 humeral bones rugose. 



Jaws with a broad band of villiform teeth and an outer series of strong conical 

 approximate teeth, the extremities of which are slightly recurved ; tips of all the 

 teeth golden bronze. 



Scales in 57 to 61 series above, in 51 to 55 below the lateral line ; 11/1/20 

 or 21 scales in the series extending obliquely backwards from the base of the 1st 

 dorsal spine : cheek-scales small, in 8 irregular series below the middle of 'the eye. 

 Lateral line tubes 50 or 51. 



Dorsal fin with xii 12 or 13 rays, originating above or a little behind the lower 

 angle of the pectoral base, the length of the soft portion 1 -5 to 1 -6 in that of the spinous, 

 which is low, ^Aith the spines rather slender but pungent, the 1st very short, less than 

 a fourth of the 5th and 6th, which are the longest, 2-75 to 3-1 in the length of the 

 head ; bej'ond these the spines are finely graded to the penultimate, which is a trifle 

 shorter than the last ; soft dorsal obtusely pointed, the posterior middle rays the 

 longest, 1-25 to 1.5 in its base, and from two fifths to three fifths more than the longest 

 spines. Caudal fin emarginate wdth the angles rounded, the middle rays 5 to 5-35 in 

 the body-length. Anal fin with iii 8, sometimes 9, rays, the last divided to the base ; 

 spines short and stout, the 1st about five ninths of the 2nd, which is stronger and a 

 little longer than the 3rd, 3 to 3-2 in the length of the head, and 1-55 to 1-7 in the 

 longest ray ; soft fin similar to but much shorter and a Uttle higher than the soft dorsal, 

 its length 1-5 to 1-65 in its height. Pectoral obtusely pointed, with 16 rays, the 5th 

 the longest, its length 4-6 to 4-85 in that of the body. Ventral originating well behind 

 the pectoral base, rounded, the spine short and stout, less than half of the fin to the tip 

 of the 2nd ray, which is a little longer than the 1st, as long as or a little shorter than 

 the pectoral, 1-6 to 1-8 in the length of the head, and extending to midway between 

 its origin and the 4th anal ray or less. 



Gill-rakers 7+17, well developed and rather slender, the longest about 2-25 

 in the eye-diameter. 



Upper surf 'j? ce of head and trunk and entire tail dark purplish brown, becoming 

 lighter on the sides of the trunk, where many of the scales develop a lavender-gray 



