XVIU TABLE OF THE PLATES. 



PISCES. Vol. II. Page 



Plate 40. bis. Fi-,'. 2. — ApaniTis Urvillii, Cuv.* . . . . 94 



Fig. 3. — Aplodactylus PLNCTATUS, Cuv.f • • .94 



Plate 41. bis. Fig. 1. — Notacanthus nasvs, Bi. . ... 130 



Fig. 2. — Mastacembelis ahmatus, Cuv. ; Macrognathus anna- 



tus, Lacep. . . . . . 130 



Fig. 3. — Rhynchobdella aral, Cuv. . ... 131) 



twelth volume of the Linneaen transactions by Captain Carmichael, under the name 

 of Callionymus diacanthus, for it was easy to perceive that it was not aCallionymus. 

 We have been fortunate enough to find it among the species collected at Valparaiso, 

 from Chili, by M. d'Orbigny. It is a particular genus, near the Trachinus, haviug 

 like them teeth as the pile on velvet in the jaws, in the palate and on the vomer, 

 but is distinguished not only from the Trachinus, but also from all the other jugular 

 Percoides, the Percophis excepted, by the seven rays of its branchiostegal membrane. 

 The colour appears to have been blackish. The length of the individual is eight 

 inches, the caudal not included. Captain Carmichael says his fish had the body olive 

 colour marbled with greenish spots, and marked with white dots, and the iris of the 

 eye brown. On his figure (pi. 26. vol. 12.) of the Linnaen transactions, twenty two 

 rays are marked to the second dorsal ; but in the te.Kt the author only enumerates 

 twenty rays. The characters of the penultimate and antepenultimate rays pro- 

 longed Irora the anal, is well expressed in the figure that we quote. 



* Cuvier found in the lot of fishes brought to Europe by Messrs. Quoy and Gaimard 

 three small Percoides with jugular ventrals, originally from the soft waters of Van 

 Dieman's land, which are all three of the same species, but which must become the 

 type of a new genus, near that of the Percophis. (p. 94.) The name of Aphritis 

 has been given to the genus, and that of Aphritis Urvillii to the species figured by 

 us. 



This species has a cylindric body, of which the diameter, in front of the anus, is 

 the si.xth of the total length ; the colour is reddish, shaded, and marbled with greenish 

 brown on the back. The fins are transparent. Ou the two dorsals, and on the cau- 

 dal, we see two or three rows of small red dots. 



t This fish forms a new genus of the family of Percoides wth six branchial rays, 

 and free rays to the pectorals, consequently near the Cirrhiles ; but it is easily distin- 

 guished from them, by the form of the teeth, which resemble those of the Creuideus 

 Forsk., of the family of Sparoides. We give to this genus, the name of Aplodac- 

 tylus, to recall the simple form of some of the pectoral rays, and to the species we 

 liave figured that of Aplodactylus punctatus. Its height measures the fourth of its 

 total length. The thickness is contained twice and a half in the height ; the snout 

 is obtuse and rounded. The line of the profile of the head, ascends by an arched 

 curve, sustained even to the occiput, from whence it rises, and ascends obliquely, 

 following an almost straight direction, even to the base of the dorsal. The curve of 

 the back is slight; that of the belly is rather more so. The height of the tail is 

 only the third of that of the body, measured perpendicularly from the ventrals. 

 The head is short, and swelled in front. It has its length contained four times and 

 four-fifths in that of the body. Its height from thp neck downward, is a filth less 

 than its length. The eyes, of moderate size, are on the first half of the head, and 

 placed in the upper part of the cheek, without, however, the circle of the orbit 

 encroaching on the line of the profile. 



The scales are very small ; there are more than a hundred and twenty between 

 the gill and the caudal — seen separately, and through a magnifying glass, each of 

 them presents a square surface, finely striated on the sides, and of which the radical 

 edge is finely indented. The lateral line is traced beneath the third of the height, 

 and forms slight undulations. On a white ground, brownish towards the back, the 

 body is spe.tted with an infinite number of little blackish dots, equally spread over the. 

 fins, which aie darker than those on the back. 



M. Cay has likewise observed this fish ; for we have found a coloured drawing of 

 it among the drawings (f this naturalist, which leads us to hope that the species is 

 uot^very r^re, and that wemay receive other individuals. 



