Dr. A. Giinther on three neiv Trachinoid Fishes. S7 



very wide, partially open above. Six branchiostegals, four gills, 

 pseudobranchi?e. 



New Zealand ; probably in the sea. 



Crapatalus Nova Zelandia. (PI. X. fig. A.) 

 D. 35. A. 39. C. 13. P. 21. V. l/o. L. lat. 60. L. trail sv. 7/7. 



Scales on the neck before the dorsal fin considerably smaller than 

 those on the sides of the body. 



Description. — The head is broad, depressed, flat above, and 

 rounded on the sides; its greatest width is foui'-fiftbs of its 

 length, and its depth five-eighths of the same. The snout is 

 very short, about as long as the diameter of the eye, which is 

 one-sixth of the length of the head. Cleft of the mouth sub- 

 vertical ; the lips are serrated and fringed, having the appearance 

 of a series of teeth. Nostrils two, the anterior produced into a 

 short tube. The width of the interorbital space equals the dia- 

 meter of the eye. The gills are widely cleft, and their mem- 

 brane is only slightly contiguous on the throat; the upper 

 margin of the operculum is fringed; there is an oblong mem- 

 branaceous flap on each side of the isthmus, which serves for 

 closing a part of the gill-opening. 



The length of the head is contained four times and one- third 

 in the total length, the height of the body nearly seven times. 

 The trunk is subcylindrical ; the tail, which is considerably 

 elongate, compressed and tapering posteriorly. The vent is 

 much advanced forwards, so that its distance from the snout is 

 contained three times and a half in the total length. The ante- 

 rior part of the trunk is covered with small scales, and the space 

 behind the pectorals and that before and between the ventrals is 

 naked. The rays of the dorsal and anal fins appear to be simple, 

 not branched ; this, however, cannot be satisfactorily ascertained, 

 owing to their indifferent state of preservation. The dorsal fin 

 commences behind the vertical from the origin of the anal, at a 

 distance from the occiput which equals that of the latter from 

 the snout, and terminates immediately before the root of the 

 caudal ; it appears to be of nearly uniform height, but much 

 lower than the body. The anal fin commences immediately 

 behind the vent, extending backwards as far as the dorsal ; it 

 gradually becomes lower posteriorly. The caudal fin is sub- 

 truncated, one-ninth of the total length, and has the middle rays 

 divided. The pectoral fin extends to the vertical from the 

 eleventh dorsal ray ; its rays are branched, and the lower ones 

 become gradually longer to the sixth upper one, which is the 

 longest. The ventral fins are composed of one very distinct 

 spine and five branched rays ; they are rounded, somewhat di- 

 stant from each other, and extend to the fourth anal ray. 



