PERCIT)^. 467 



highest on the rays ; they are equally developed over the bases of 

 the caudal and anal. Colour crimson with orange reflections ; a 

 broad blackish band from the eye to the dorsal fin ; several nar- 

 row and nearly horizontal black lines on the sides. A black trans- 

 verse band above the free portion of the tail, having a white one 

 in front and a narrow pink one behind. Pectoral flesh-coloured ; 

 ventral partly or wholly black ; dorsal dark grey in some specimens, 



Fig. 147. Liitjanus annulans. 



with a nearly black base and a black edge ; caudal pink, with a 

 narrow black border ; anal darkest anteriorly. In adults (12 

 inches) the black lines disappear, and each row of scales has a 

 golden line ; a trace exists of the band from the eye to the dorsal 

 fin ; that over the free portion of the tail is somewhat indistinct. 



Hob. Eed Sea, east coast of Africa, seas of India, Malay Archi- 

 pelago, and beyond. This species is captured all the year round 

 at Madras, but is most abundant during the cold months. 



600. (5.) Lutjanns dodecacantlras. 



Lutianus dodecacanthus, Sleeker, Batavia Nat. Tijdsch. iv, 1853, 

 p. 104 ; Day, Fish. India, p. 33, pi. x, fig. 3 (see synon.). 



D.ll-(12)/13-14. P. 17. A. 3/9. L. 1. 52. L. r. 65/54. L. tr. 8/23. 



Length of head 3^, height of body 3^ in the total length. 

 Eyes diameter 4 in length of head, lj from end of snout, and 

 nearly 1 apart. Vertical margin of preopercle having a shallow 

 emargination, finely serrated above, but more coarsely at the 

 angle ; anterior half of lower border finely serrated. A small in- 

 teropercular knob. Fins dorsal spines moderate, the fourth and 

 fifth longest ; they gradually decrease to the last, which is only 

 two thirds as long as the fourth ; soft portion of dorsal angular. 

 Pectoral reaches to above the anal spines ; third anal spine equals 



2ii2 



