lieproductive Orgims of Sparus Centrodontus. 



11 



Description of Spams centrodontus, Delaroche. 



This fish is coloured a brio-ht red or pink. Over the abdomen there 

 is a golden red sheen. Small specimens show little red on the body; 

 they are more silvery. The snout, cheeks, and sides are silvery with a 

 golden tinge. A prominent black patch is present on the shoulder, 

 on the beginning of the lateral line. The lateral line is prominent. 

 The dorsum has a metallic appearance. The top of the head is 

 pinkish. The inside of the mouth, and the inside surface of the gill- 

 cover, are pink and orange-red respectively. 



The scales are ctenoid (Fig. 60) ; they are large and hard. The general 

 arrangement of the scales is indicated in the drawing Fig. 4 ; the 

 scales themselves are represented diagrammatically. The scales are 

 arranged in parallel rows. This gives rise to the longitudinal rows 

 (or lineation) which are made out on the side of the fish. The large 

 semi-circular scale situated immediately over the opercular cleft is note- 

 worthy. Alongside the base of the ventral fin one or two scales are 

 elongated into a sharp triangular form, which resembles a short spine. 

 The scales are, however, thin and flexible. On the ventral surface 

 the scales between the ventral fins are extended posteriorly in a 

 triangular projection. 



All the fins are red. The exact number of fin-rays is not entered 

 in the drawing. The number of fin-rays in the dorsal and anal fins 

 is shown in the following table : — 



The dorsal fin is composed of spines and soft rays. Of the former 

 there are usually 12, and of the latter 13. The first of the soft rays 

 ends in a single tip as a rule ; in one fish the tip was split. The 

 remaining soft rays are split. The dorsal fin stands in a groove in 

 the dorsal edge of the body. The front half of the fin, consisting of 

 the spinous rays, can be laid down into the groove. The last two 

 rays are close together at their bases. The first two spines and the 

 last two raj^s arise from a single interspinous line in each case. The 

 lip of the hind portion of the groove is formed by large thin scales 

 which rise up from the dorsal edge on each side of the fin. The 

 scales are continued upon the bases of the last two rays as a process 

 similar to that shown for Cantharus in Fi^-. 113. 



