WKASSES. 525 



to the coasts of South Australia. They feed chiefly on small 

 marine animals, and such as have compressed teeth appear to 

 feed on the small Zoophytes covering the banks, round which 

 these " Coral-fishes " abound. In a fossil state this family is 

 known from a single genus only, Odonteus, from Monte Bolca, 

 allied to Heliastes. The recent genera belonging to tliis 

 family are : — Amphi'prion, Fremnas, Dascyllus, Lepidozygus, 

 Pomaccntrus, G-lypMdodon, Parma, and Heliastes. About 120 

 species are known. 



Second Family — Labrid^. 



Body oblong or elongate, covered 'with cycloid scales. The 

 Icdercd line extends to the caudal, or is interrupted. One dorsal 

 fin, wUh the spinous 2^ortion as vxll developed as, or more than, 

 the soft. The soft ancd similar to the soft dorsal. Ventral fins 

 thoracic, with one spine and five soft rays. Pcdate vnthout 

 teeth. Brctnchiostegcds five or six ; gills three and a half; 

 pseudobrcmchice and air-bladder present. Pyloric appendages 

 none ; stomach without ccccal sac. 



The " Wrasses " are a large family of littoral fishes, very 

 abundant in the temperate and tro- 

 pical zones, but becoming scarcer to- 

 wards the Arctic and Antarctic circles, 

 where they disappear entirely. Many 

 of them are readily recognised by 

 their thick lips, which are sometimes 

 internally folded, a peculiarity which 

 has given to them the German term Fig. 241.— Lips of a Wrasse, 

 01 "Lip-fislies. J- hey feed chiefly 



on moUusks and crustaceans, their dentition being admirably 

 adapted for crushing hard substances. Many species have 

 a strong curved tooth at the posterior extremity of the 

 intermaxillary, for the purpose of pressing a shell against 



