

IS^ EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTU WALES. 



Genus III.- DIPLOMYSTUS. 



Diplomysiits, Cope, Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv. Terrs. 1877, p. 808. 



Branchiostegals eight: pseudobranclii?e present. Body elongate and com- 

 pressed, ■with the abdominal serrature extending forward into the thoracic 

 region, and with a corresponding dorsal serrature between the occiput and 

 the origin of the dorsal fin : the dorsal scutes with a single median tooth. 

 Jaws equal, or the lower slightly projecting. Cleft of mouth moderate. 

 Adipose lid not nnich developed. Teeth present on the jaws, palate, and 

 tongue, or absent. Ventrals inserted in front of, or beneath the anterior 

 fourth of the dorsal : anal of moderate length : caudal forked. Scales of 

 moderate size. Pyloric appendages in moderate numbers. 



Geographical distvihiifion. — Eivers and estuaries of south-eastern Australia 

 and Ciiile. 



The above diagnosis is taken from the species now existing in Australia, 

 without regard to the fossil forms for which Cope established the genus. 



The genus DipJomi/sf//s was originally separated from Cliipea by Cope for 

 the inclusion of six species of Tertiary Clupeids from the Green Eiver portion 

 of the AVasatch Beds situated in the central region of the United States. 



He points out that the genus is divisible into two sections, characterised 

 by the form of the dorsal scutes. " In section i," says he, '• these shields 

 are transverse, and their posterior borders are pectinate, a median tooth 

 being especially prominent. In section ii, the scuta are not wider thau 

 long, and have but one, a median, tooth, which is the extremity of a median 

 longitudinal carina. * * * The species of section i display a longer anal 

 fin than those of section ii. The species of this geuus were more numerous 

 than all others combined during the period of the Green Eiver Lake." 



DIPLOMTSTrS NOY.EHOLLANDI^. 



Melctta novce-liollandice, Cuv. & Yal. Hist. Xat. Poiss. xx. p. 376. 



Clupea novce-lioUandicE, Gnth. Catal. Fish. vii. p. 431 ; Macleay, Proc. Linn. 



Soc. N, S. Wales, iv. p. 378. 

 Meletta novce-hollandice, Casteln. Proc. Zool. Soc. Yict. 1872, i. p. 189 (not 



Cuv. 4- Tal.) 

 Meletta riitafa, (l^steln. Ees. Pish. Austr. p. 46, 1875. 

 Chipea vittata, Macleay. Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, iv. p. 379 (jiot 



MitcMl). 

 Clupea richmondia, Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc. X. S. Wales, iv. p. 380. 



Freshwater Herring. 



Plate XLVII. 



B. viii. D. 16-17. A. 16-17. V. 8. P. 15. C. 19. L. lat. 4.5-48. L. tr. 11-12. 



Ccec. pyl. 14. Vert. 46. 



Length of head 5-20-5-33, of caudal fin 5-33-5-6G, height of body 4-66- 

 4'80 in the total length. Eye moderate, the adipose lid about equally 

 developed in front and behind, not reaching to the pupil ; its diameter, 

 2'90-3'10 in the length of the head : snout short and moderately pointed, 

 1"20-1'40 in the diameter of the eye: interorbital space nearly flat, 1'33-1"50 

 in the same. Nostrils small and approximate, equidistant from the eye and 

 the tip of the snout, the anterior circular, the posterior crescentic. Upper 



