216 Records of the S.A. Museum 



Several species of the genus Coiifjiopiis ( Afjriopus ) liax'c been dcserilted from 

 Chilian, Sonlh Afriean, and Australian seas, hnl hitherto one only has been 

 recognized from our waters. This {('. IfKcupKccihis liieh.) is known from South 

 Australia and King Cieorgc Soiuid, Southern AVestern Austi-alia. A second 

 Australian species is described as follows : 



CONGIOPUS LEUCOMETOPON sp. nov. 



D. XV, I) ; A. iii, 6 (7) ; V. i, .") ; P. 12 ( 11 ) ; C. 14. 



Length of head 2-9, height of body oO, and h^igth of caudal o-G in the length. 

 Diameter of eye 4-8, interorbital space (il, and length of snout :^0 in the head. 



Head compressed, narrowed suddenly to the Ijase of the snout, anterior 

 profile very steep, snout bulbous and rugose, with a pair of short spines above 

 directed upwards and ])ackwards, and another on each side above the expanded 

 distal end of tlie maxilla; mouth sliglitly oldifine, the chin roughened like the 

 snout, jaws efjual ; the maxilla does not reach the verticle of the eye. Pour l^lunt 

 processes on the margin of the pre()j)ercle and a weak flat spine imbedded on the 

 opercular flap. The posterior nostril is on a level with, l)ut in advance of, the 

 lower edge of the eye; the anterior nostril is on a lower level. Gills four, no 

 slit behind the last. Small pseudobranchiae present. 



Teeth. Those in the jaws set in broad bands, each of which has a median 

 suture, a triangular patch on the vomer, none on the palatines or tongue. 



Fins. The first dorsal spine stands over the middle of the eye, the 

 following ones are successively longer to the fourth, thence sube(iual, the longest 

 being about half the lenath of the head; the soft rays form a lobe, higher than 

 the spinous portion, the middle rays being If) in the length of the head. The anal 

 spines are strong, the third being eciual in length to that of the longest dorsal, 

 those of both fins are normally hidden in the membranes ; the soft rays form a 

 lobe similar to that of the dorsal; th(> hinder insei-tion of the fin is forward of 

 that of the dorsal. The pectorals are large, extending to nearly above the first 

 spine of the anal, with a broad base, the rays of the lower half Avith free tips, 

 Ventrals pointed, extending to the vent and nearly as far as the pectorals, the 

 spine strong. Caudal rounded, its peduncle compressed, the depth being one- 

 third the height of the body. 



Body compressed, iiaked, with vertical j)liae or creasc-lilvc marks, each line 

 passing through one of the lateral i)()rcs; the latter arise in advance of the 

 opercular tiap, and pass, with a lower curve than the dorsal ])rofile, to the middle 

 of the caudal peduncle; there are 2S-:>() noi-es in the series. Tlie vertical marks 

 were not apparent in the fresh specimen, but appeared after immersion in the 



