526 TELEOSTEI. ACANTIIOPTEKIUII. 



Eyes diameter 3f in the length of the head, If from end of snout, 

 and 1| apart. Hind limb of preopercle almost vertical and 

 entire ; a few serrations along its rounded angle. Tenth an outer 

 row of strong canines .in the upper jaw ; lower jaw with six 

 canines. Fins dorsal spines rather strong, increasing in length 

 to the fourth, from which they decrease to the last ; height of the 

 fourth equals distance from eye to end of preorbital bone ; the last 

 dorsal spine is slightly longer than the ninth ; second anal spine 

 two thirds as long as the third; caudal deeply forked. Scales 

 live rows on the cleeks. Colour greenish, glossed with golden 

 on the sides; wavy blue lines along the snout and over the pre- 

 orbital. 



Hah. Eed Sea and Ceylon. 



21. Genus SYNAGRIS (Klein), Giinther. 



Syn. Dentex, pt., Cuv. & Val. ; Nemipterus, Swains. ; Spondyliosoma , 

 sp., Cantor ; Heterognathon, pt., Steind. ; Dentex (Cuv. & Val.), Bleeker. 

 Koondul, Tamil. 



Branchiostegals five or six ; pseudobranchia?. Body oblong. 

 Mouth moderately protractile; jaws of about equal length. Pre- 

 opercle entire or feebly serrated ; opercle without any or with a 

 not very prominent spine ; the distance between the eye and the 

 angle of the mouth considerable. Moderately-sized curved canines 

 in the upper and generally feeble ones in front of the lower jaw ; 

 an inner villiform band in either jaw and usually an outer conical 

 row ; vomer, palate, and tongue edentulous. Dorsal 10/9 ; anal 

 3/7, both scaleless ; all the spines weak ; caudal forked. Scales 

 ctenoid, three rows on the preopercle, none along its outer border, 

 on the snout, preorbital, or jaws. Air-bladder not constricted, but 

 notched posteriorly. Pyloric appendages few. 



Geographical Distribution. Eed Sea, east coast of Africa, seas of 

 India to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



Upper caudal ray with filamentous prolongation. 



First two dorsal spines with soft prolongation. 1. striatus, p. 526. 



Dorsal spines not prolonged 2. S. jajionicus, p. 527. 



No prolongation to caudal. 



Dorsal spines longer than rays 3. S. tolu, p. 528. 



Dorsal spines shorter than rays. 



A blue spot on opercle . .*. 4. S. bleckeri, p. 528. 



No spot on opercle 5. <S'. tccniopterus, p. 529. 



703. (1.) Synagris striatus. 



Dentex striatus (? Cuv. # Val. If. N. Poiss. vi, p. 252) ; Jerdon, Mad. 

 Jour. L. Sf Sc. xvii, 1851, p. 134. 



