91 



somewhat inflated, smooth or shagreened without a keel or with 

 a complete or at least a basal keel with radiating lines. Superior 

 cristae of trunk and tail continuous; inferior 

 cristae of trunk and tail discontinuous but the 

 last named continuous with the median cristae 

 of the trunk or the inferior cristae of trunk and 

 tail are continuous in which case the median 

 cristae of trunk end free. All the fins present; 

 dorsal short, inserted on four to six rings, which 

 generally belong for the largest part to the tail; 

 caudal short. Eggs isolated in cutaneous cells on 

 the tail, they are completely enclosed in a brood- 

 pouch formed by lateral folds beginning at anus, 

 which may contain osseous plates. 



Distribution: Marine shore-fishes, some of 

 them living also in deeper water and in fresh 

 and brackish water. Red Sea, East Africa, Gulf 

 of Persia, Maladives, Ceylon, Indo-australian 

 Archipelago, China, Riu Kiu Islands, Australia, 

 Hawaii. 



Key to the indo-australian species of 

 Ichthyocampus. 



1. Median cristae of trunk bent on last 

 ring of trunk to inferior cristae of tail 

 and nearly reaching them or they are 

 united. Rings 1415+3740. Oper- 



culum with a complete keel /. carce p. 92. 



2 . Median cristae of trunk rectilinear, ending 

 at least on 2nd ring of tail. Keel only 

 on anterior third of operculum. 



a. Median cristae of trunk ending in 

 male on third, in female on i6th or 

 iyth tail-ring. Posterior tail-rings with 

 sharp edges increasing in height post- 

 eriorly and ending in a sharp tooth. /. kampeni ') p. 93. 



i) This species is distinguished from Ichth. belcheri Kaup 



from the Red Sea, Zanzibar, China and the Riu Kiu Islands ^ 



by the following characters: in I. belcheri the median cristae Ichthyocampus 



of the trunk end in both sexes on the 2nd or 3rd tail-ring kampeni 



and the posterior rings of the tail are not distinguished by sharp M. Web. X 2< 9- 



