176 ON THE COMMON WHITING OF MORETON BAY 



The S. lie Bass, figured by Qiioy and Gaymard, differs from 

 the Moreton Bay fish in several particulars. The teeth are too 

 large. The first ray of the ventral fin is not prolonged into two 

 feeler-like filaments. The denticulations of the operculum are 

 too prominent and do not extend forward from the angle. The 

 first dorsal fin has 12 spines instead of 11. The markings on 

 the dorsal fins are spots. In Queensland specimens they are on 

 the first dorsal irregular blotches, and on the second blotchings 

 fairly regular in shape and arranged in rows. The anal fin 

 shows 2/19. 



The formula is D. 11—1/17 ; A. 2/16 ; V. 1/5 ; P. 15 ; L. 

 lat. 63 ; L. trans. 5/12. The back is coloured to resemble the 

 sandy ground over which the fish moves. When freshly taken 

 it varies from a yellowy green in fair sized fish to a greeny grey 

 in old specimens — parts of the scales showing silvery in some 

 lights, with here and there a fleck of gold. After being out of 

 the water some time the back is silvery blue or golden green, 

 according to how the light falls. The head is of the same 

 colour as the back but becoming dark in old fish. There is much 

 variation in the colour of the under side of the head — usually 

 white but often with much dark colouring. The colour of the 

 back shades down into a silvery grey on the lower parts of the 

 sides and an enamel white on the belly. The broad median 

 band is of a silvery yellow becoming indistinct with age. The 

 band often disappears in preserved specimens. 



The first dorsal fin has brown blotches on the membrane 

 between the rays. In the second dorsal the blotches are small 

 and in rows — from 3 to 5 blotches between every two rays. The 

 anal is yellow. The ventrals are orange yellow. The pectoral 

 is transparent with a blue black spot at the base. The under 

 lobe of the tail is usually much worn. 



The opercle is finely denticulated on the angle and vertical 

 margin, bmall teeth are in both jaws on the vomer and pala- 

 tines. The anterior nostril has a small pointed flap on its back 

 edge. The pupil of the eye is not round but drawn to a corner 

 in front and on the under side — the corner in front is the more 

 conspicuous. The scales are ctenoid. 



The whiting is one the most valuable of the food fishes in 

 Queensland. A good-sized fish attains a length of 17 inches 

 and weighs a pound and a-half. The name whiting was given 

 because the flavour of the flesh was considered to resemble that 



