EDIBLE FISHES OF QUEENSLAND.— OGILBY. 169 



Thirteen or fifteen species are recognized. They are in good estimation for 

 the table. 



No other species of Dentex being available for comparison I have been 

 obliged to draw up the generic diagnosis from the Queensland fish only, and 

 am uncertain whether some of the characters — such as the form of the lateral 

 line tubes, the separation of the nostrils, the gill-rakers — as given above hold 

 good in the typical species. 



DENTEX SPARIFORMIS Ogilby. 

 Dentex sparijormis Ogilby, New Fish. Queensl. Coast, 20 Dec. 1910, p. 91. 



CAPE MORETON BREAM. 

 (Plate XXI.) 



Type locality: — 36 miles S. 12° W. from Cape Moreton in 73 fathoms. 



Body ovate, the dorsal contour much more arched than the ventral, its 

 width 2-65 to 2-85 in its depth, which is 2 to 2-15 in its length and two fifths more 

 than the length of the head. Caudal peduncle about one half longer than deep, 

 its least depth 8-5 to 8-85 in the length of the body. Head a little deeper than 

 long, its upper border linear or feebly concave and strongly declivous to above 

 the anterior border of the eye, with a slight prominence in front of the upper 

 third of the eye; occiput and nape evenly convex; width of head 1-75 to 1-9 in 

 its length, which is 2-7 to 3 in that of the body. Length of snout 245 to 2-67 

 in that of the head. Diameter of eye equal to or a little less than of the snout 

 and 1-6 to 1-9 time its distance from the angle of the mouth, Interorbital region 

 strongly convex, its width 3-5 to 3-66 in that of the head and 1-2 to 1-33 in 

 the eye-diameter. Jaws equal; maxillary extending to below or a little beyond 

 the anterior border of the eye, its length 2-45 to 2-7, that of the mandible 2-25 

 to 24 in the length of the head. 



Jaws with bands of villi form teeth and an outer series of stout conical 

 teeth ; each with two pair of strong curved canines anteriorly. 



Scales in 49 to 51 series above the lateral line, in 5/1/15 or 16 from the 

 base of the first dorsal spine obliquely backwards; cheek-scales in 5 series. 

 Accessory ventral scale lanceolate, its length about two thirds of the eye-diameter. 



Dorsal fin with xii 10 rays, originating above the opercular spine, the 

 spines increasing in length to the 4th or 5th, rarely 6th, which is 1-85 to 2-2 in 

 the length of the head and one fourth to two fifths more than the middle rays; 

 succeeding spines gently graded, the last varying from a little longer to a little 

 shorter than the penultimate and three fifths shorter than the longest; soft 

 dorsal one fourth to. two fifths longer than high, its length 2 to 2-2 in that of 

 the head. Caudal emarginate, with pointed lobes, the middle rays 1-6 to 1-75 

 in the upper lobe, which is as long as to one fifth longer than the lower and 3-3 

 to 3-75 in the body-length. Anal fin with iii 8 rays, the spiues strong, the 2nd 

 a little longer and much stronger than the 3rd, 2-25 to 2-75 in the length of the 

 head; soft anal a little longer than high, the 1st ray longest, a little shorter 

 than the 2nd spine. Pectoral fin with 15 rays, its length 2-55 to 2-8 in that of 

 the body; 4th ray longest, extending to the vertical from the last anal spine to 

 the 3rd ray. Ventral inserted below the inferior axil of the pectoral, the spine 

 long and slender. 1-35 to 1-5 in the outer ray, which is the longest, 145 to 1-65 

 in the length of the pectoral, 1-3 to 1-5 in that of the head, and extends to or 

 not quite to the vent. 



