19 



2. Subfam. Dussumierinae. 



Elongate, belly rounded. Scales moderate, or large, thin, 

 deciduous. No abdominal scutes. Jaws equal or nearly so. Mouth 

 rather small, terminal, bordered by the small intermaxillary 

 and the long maxillary which has two supplemental bones, 

 and is broad and rounded behind. Small teeth on jaws, vomer, 

 palatines, pterygoids and tongue which are deciduous and may 

 be wanting. Dorsal longer than anal, inserted opposite ven- 

 trals. Gillmembranes separate, free from isthmus; 6 15 bran- 

 chiostegals. Gillrakers very fine and slender, not numerous. 

 Pseudobranchiae present. 



Synopsis of the genera. 



A. Origin of dorsal nearer to end of snout than to caudal. 



Anal 9 13 rays, 6 branchiostegals Spratelloides p. 19. 



B. Origin of dorsal nearer to caudal than to end of snout. 



Anal 15 17 rays, 15 20 branchiostegals Dussumieria p. 21. 



I. Spratelloides Bleeker. 



(Verh. Batav. Gen. XXIV, 1852, Haringachtigen p. 29). 



(Stolephorus Jordan & Herre, nee Lac.). 



Fig. 12. Spratelloides gracilis Schleg. 



Small, elongate, nearly subcylindrical. Tail very short. Scales 

 large, thin, deciduous. Snout conical. Jaws equal or nearly so. 

 Cleft of mouth small, bordered by the elongate intermaxillary 

 and the broad maxillary which is rounded behind and which 

 has two supplemental bones. Teeth none or very minute and 

 deciduous on jaws, vomer, pterygoids and tongue. Dorsal short, 

 inserted opposite ventrals, its origin nearer to end of snout 

 than to caudal. Anal very short. Gillmembranes separate, free 

 from isthmus. About 6 flat branchiostegals. Pseudobranchiae 

 well developed. Gillrakers rather long. 



In the indo-australian archipelago and especially at Macas- 

 sar these fishes are preserved for consumption, together with 

 species of the genus Stolephorus, and form a delicious con- 



