466 TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTEKYGII. 



598. (3.) Lutjanus malabaricus. 



Sparus malabaricus, JBl. Schn. Syst. Ich. p. 278. 

 Lutianua malabaricus, Day, fish. India, p. 31, pi. ix, fig. 4 (see 

 synon.). 



D. 11/13. P. 17. A. 3/9. C. 17. L.I. 55. L.r. 68/04. L.tr.9/23. 



Length of bead 3|, height of body 2-J in the total length. Eyes 

 diameter 4 in length of head, 1-J- from end of snout, and f apart. 

 A slight concavity over the orbits. Lower jaw the longer. 

 Preopercle with a very shallow emargination on its vertical border, 

 which is finely serrated ; at the angle the serrations become larger, 

 four or five of smaller size along posterior half of lower margin. 

 No interopercular knob. Fins dorsal spines moderate ; from the 

 third they are of about equal length, but shorter than the rays ; 

 soft dorsal and anal somewhat angularly rounded and of the same 

 height. Pectoral reaching to above the anal spines ; second and 

 third anal spines about equal, nearly equalling the third dorsal ; 

 caudal slightly emarginate. Scales rows above the level of lower 

 edge of orbit oblique, below horizontal. Colour roseate in life, 

 with narrow oblique yellow streaks above the lateral line, and 

 longitudinal ones below it : a violet-purple band from behind the 

 eye along the base of the dorsal fin, reappearing in a lighter form 

 across middle of free portion of tail. Fins reddish, the dorsal and 

 caudal with a fine black edge ; anal spines dark grey, ventral 

 white. 



Hub. Coasts of Sind and India. 



599. (4.) Lutjanus annularis. (Fig. 147.) 



Mesoprion annularis, Cuv. $ Val. H. N. Poiss. ii, p. 484. 



Lutianus erythropterus, Day, Fish. India, pp. 32, 746, pi. x, figs. 1 & 



2 (see synon.). 

 Soosta, Ooriah. 

 D.ll/13-14. A.3/9. L.l.52-55. L.r.70/60. L.tr.11-12/25. C.p.5-6. 



Length of head 3| to 3|, height of body 2f to 3| in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 5 to 6 in the length of the head in the 

 adult, but much larger in the young, 1| to 2 from end of snout, 

 and 1| to 1| apart. The maxilla, in the adult, scarcely reaches 

 to below the front edge of the orbit. Vertical border of pre- 

 opercle shallovvly emarginate, finely and evenly serrated ; serrations 

 coarser near angle ; they extend a short distance along the lower 

 border. Sometimes a very small interopercular knob. Fins 

 dorsal spines moderate, increasing in length to the fourth; the 

 soft portion of the fin more angular in the adult than in the young, 

 the highest rays half as long again as the fourth spine. Pectoral 

 reaching as far as the ventral ; anal spine longest and equal to 

 third dorsal ; caudal slightly emarginate or cut square in the 

 young. Scales in somewhat sinuous rows directed upwards and 

 backwards : they extend over the base of the dorsal fin reaching 



