20 



CH02fDK01TEUYGlJ. SELAC11OIDEI. 



19. (1.) Galeocerdo rayneri. (Fig. 3.) 



Galeocerdo ravneri, McDonald $ liarnnt, P. Z. S. 1868, p. :M5s, 

 pi. xxxii. ; Day, Fish. India, p. 718, pi. clxxxvii, fi#. 3 (see synon.). 

 Wulluccn sorrah, Tain. ; Kcttulum sorrah f Tel. 



Fig. 3. GrjJeocerdo rayneri. 



Length of preoral portion of the snout much less than the width 

 of the mouth. A groove at the angle of the mouth extending 

 some distance along the side of the maxilla ; nostrils nearer the 

 end of the snout than the mouth. Gill-openings not so wide as 

 the orbit. Eyes rather large. Teeth |j, large, of equal size in 

 both jaws, compressed and serrated in their whole extent in both 

 jaws, as well as notched externally above the base. Fins pectoral 

 falciform, extending to beneath the anterior third of the first 

 dorsal. Origin of first dorsal a short distance behind the base of 

 the pectoral, but nearer to that fin than to the ventral, which latter 

 is midway between the hind edge of the first dorsal and the origin 

 of the anal. Second dorsal above the anal, the two being of about 

 equal size. Length of the caudal 3 to 4 in the total length, 

 apparently decreasing in comparative length with age. Colour 

 dark grey superiorly, becoming dull white beneath ; cheeks and 

 lower surface of the snout yellowish. Body, from a short distance 

 behind the gill-openings, with numerous large black spots and 

 vertical bare. Fins grey, the first dorsal with irregular vertical 

 bands. 



This fish, probably a variety of O. arcticus, attains to a consider- 

 able size in the Indian seas, where it is not numerous. Besides 

 being exceedingly fierce, Jerdon has remarked that it is very 

 cunning and swells itself out so as to appear like a floating mass of 

 animal substance, and having thus decoyed its prey it immediately 

 attacks it. It eats everything, even sea-snakes. Sir "W. Elliot 

 observed that he obtained an example of this voracious shark 12 ft. 

 4 in. long; in its stomach were the remains of fish of various sizes 

 and several shin-bones of beef partially digested. Another ex- 

 ample, 8^ feet long, had the remains of a sea-snake (IJydrojihis 

 nigrocincta) and of a siluroid fish. 



Hub. Indian and Australian Seas ; attaining upwards of twelve 

 feet in length. 



