124 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 



THERAPON PARVICEPS .Macleay. 

 (Plate XI, fig. 3.) 

 Therapon parviccps Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, viii, jit. 2, 17 July, 1883, p, 201. 



SMALL-HEADED GRUNTER. 

 Type locality : — Upper Burclekin River, X.Q. 



D. xiii 10-11 ; A. iii 9 ; P. 15 ; V. i 5 ; C. 17. 49-56 series of scales below the 

 lateral line between its origin and the h^qiural joint, and 51-51 above it ; 8-10 scales 

 between the lateral line and the middle of the spinous dorsal fin. Cheek-scales in 

 5-6 roAvs. 



Proportions of two specimens 95 and 207 mm. long : — De])th 2-8-2-9 in the 

 length to the hy|oural joint ; head 3-3-5 in the same. Eye 3-7-5 in the head, and 1-07-1-5 

 in the snout, which is 3-3-3-4 in the head. Interorbital Avidth 2-9-3-2 in the head. 

 Sixth dorsal spine 1.8-2, first dorsal ray 1-8-2, third anal spine 2-2-2-3, and first anal 

 ray 1-6-1-7 in the head. Pectoral fin 1-4-1-5, and anterior ventral rsb\ 1-2-1-4 in the 

 head. 



Body ovate, comj^ressed, the upper and lower profiles either almost evenly 

 arched, or the ventral line somewhat flattened. Snout obtusely pointed, the profile 

 from its tip to the first dorsal spine forming a very slightly convex arch. Interorbital 

 space a little convex, smooth ; a few bony ridges on the hinder part of the cranium. 

 Upper jaw slightly longer than the lower ; maxillary reaching to below the posterior 

 nostril or almost to the vertical of the anterior orbital margin, its distal end exposed. 

 Eye rather small, shorter than the snout in adults and much narrower than the inter- 

 orbital space. Nostrils separated by a space wliich is a little greater than their own 

 diameter ; both have free skinny margins which are subdiAaded into lobes. Preorbital 

 bone obscurely denticulate in the young, entire in adults. Preoperculum evenly 

 denticulate, the denticles somewhat enlarged on the roiinded angle. Operculum Anth 

 tAAo spines, the loAver of Avhich is the longer but is not produced beyond the opercular 

 lobe. Suprascapular and coracoid bones exposed and more or less denticulate. 



Each jaAV AAdth a band of minute teeth, the outer series cf AA'hich is the largest 

 and subcardiform ; the outer surfaces of the teeth are flattened, and they are partly 

 depres^ble. Vomer and. palatines toothless in adults ; a single median A'omerine tooth 

 is rarely present in the young. Scales largest on the anterior portions of the sides, 

 smaller on the breast. 



Dorsal spines rather slender, the sixth the longest and equal in length to the 

 anterior ray ; the last spine is not longer than the penultimate one : soft dorsal slightly 

 rounded, its anterior rays longest. Second and third anal spines subequal in length, 

 but much shorter than the anterior rays : margin of the soft anal obliquely truncate 

 or slightly rounded. Pectoral pointed above, the fifth upper ray longest. Ventrals 

 inserted IdcIoav the fourth or fifth dorsal spine and reaching almost or quite to tlie 

 A'ent. Caudal deeply emarginate. 



BroAATiish grey on the back, becoming sih^ery on the sides ; the base of each 

 scale of the upper parts Avith a small dark spot. A sih^'er band from the upper lip to 

 the loAver orbital margin. Fin-membranes more or less dusky, the soft dorsal, anal, 

 and caudal with lighter margins. 



Described from six of Macleay's original specimens, 95-207 mm. long, the 

 largest of Avhich is the type of the species and is figured on Plate 



This species is nearest to T. hillii Castelnaii, but is distinguished by its larger 

 and less numerous scales. 



Loc. : — ^Upper Burdekin RiA'cr, Queensland. 



