62 EDIBLE PISHES OP NEW SOUTH WALES. 



Red Gurnard Percli. 



B. vii. D. 12/12. A. 3/5. V. 1/5. P. 18. C. 13. L. lat 5G-G5. L. tr. ca. 10/23. 



Length of head2-75--3-10, of caudal fm i--90-5-10,lieight of body 3-10-3G0 

 in the total length. "Width of head at the base of the longest preopercular 

 spine l'SO-2'00 in its length. Eye large, situated high up on the head, its 

 diameter 3"15-3"S0 in the length of the head: snout short, 1'25-150 in the 

 diameter of the eye : interorbital space concave, narrow, 2*20-2"75 in the 

 same. Nostrils but little separated, the anterior pierced in a low tube and 

 with a short tentacle behind, the posterior simple, oval, and vertical. Jaws 

 equal. Cleft of mouth large and oblique, the maxilla reaching to beneath the 

 posterior fourth of the orbit. Preorbital with two strong, compressed, blunt 

 points inferiorly : turbinal bone armed v\'ith a strong spine : a rather larger 

 one on the antero-superior angle of the orbit, and two at the postero-superior 

 angle : interorbital space with two curved ridges, terminating in spines : 

 occiput with two divergent ridges terminating in two spines each : three 

 temporal spines, the anterior pair placed one above the other, tlie third at 

 the origin of the lateral line : a low ridge from beneath the eye to the upper 

 preopercular spine bearing a single spine raesially : preopercle with five strong 

 spines, the second counting from above the largest : two acute spines on the 

 opercle. Teeth villiform in the jaws ; in a rectangular band on the vomer, and 

 in narrow anteriorly curved bands on the palatines. The dorsal commences 

 above the inner angle of the opercle, its spines are strong and sharp, the third 

 the longest, 2"00-2'G0 in the length of the head, and considerably longer than 

 the longest rays ; the height of the eleventh spine is from 1"25-1'33 in that 

 of the hist, which is 1"25-1"40 in that of the second ; the base of the rayed 

 dorsal is from l'85-2"00 in that of the spinous, and the last ray is attached 

 to the tail bv a short membrane : the anal commences beneath the second 

 and ends beneath the tenth dorsal ray ; the second anal spine is much the 

 longest and strongest, equal in length to the sixth dorsal spine, 2-70-3'00 

 in the length of the head, and much shorter than the rays, the last of which 

 is not attached by membrane to the tail : ventral pointed, the second ray 

 tlie longest, reaching to the vent, and 1'75-1"90 in the length of the head ; 

 its spine equal to the seventh or eightli dorsa.1 spine : seven, sometimes 

 eight, simple pectoral rays, the branched portion truncate, the simple portion 

 rounded posteriorly ; upper simple rays the longest, Io0-1'75 \n the length 

 of the head : caudal rounded, the least height of its pedicle about 3"33-3"66 

 in the height of the body. Scales rather small, finely ctenid, adherent, 

 extending on the head to about midway along the interorbital space, and on 

 to the bases of the soft dorsal and anal fins. Eight series of scales between 

 the last dorsal spine and the lateral line. Lateral line with a gentle 

 downward curve along its entire length. 



Colors. — Above reddish-orange, gradually shading into the white of the 

 lower surfaces ; upper part of head dusky owing to numbers of small semi- 

 coalescent dark specks ; a bluish spot on the inner margin of the opercle ; 

 sides with four irregular broad dark transverse bands, the two anterior not 

 reaching to the abdominal profile, and the last of which crosses the base of 

 the caudal : fins red, the lateral bands generally extending a short way on 

 to the dorsal and anal ; a dusky spot on the pectorals rather below the 

 centre usually present. 



Li the Sydney District this species has no vernacular name among the 

 fishermen and salesmen, by whom, owing to a general resemblance in 

 coloration, it is confounded with Plectropoma nigroruhrum ; I have, there- 



