SOUTH AFRICAN FISHES, 



BY 



J. D. F. GILCHRIST, M.A., B.Sc, Ph.D., 

 ■Government Biologist to the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope. 



The following contribution to our knowledge of South- 

 African fishes contains a description of three new genera and 

 four new species. 



I have to express my obligation to Mr. G. A. Boulenger, 

 F.R.S., of the British Museum fNat. Hist.) for his ready- 

 assistance and advice in the work. 



The following is a list of the fish described : — 



1. Choridactylodes natalensis, n.g. et n.sp. 



2. Astronesthes boulengeri, n.sp. 



3. Melanonosoma acutecaudatum, n.g. et n.sp, 



4. Paraliparis australis, n.sp. 



5. Paralichthodes algoensis, n.g. et n.sp. 



6. Solea capensis, n.sp. 



7. Branchiostoma capense, n.sp. 



I. CHORIDACTYLODES, n.g. 



Brianchiostegals six. Body, but not head compressed, a 

 groove in the occiput. Bones of head with osseous ridges ; 

 preorbital, preopercle and opercle with spines. A single 

 dorsal fin with more spines (14-15) than rays (8-9); anal 

 with 2 spines; pectoral fins with three free rays inferiorly,. 

 and with the upper ray prolonged into a hair-like filament ; 

 ventrals with one spine and five rays, articulate fin rays 

 branched, scales absent ; skinny appendages on the body. 



This genus is most closely related to Clioridacfylus^ Richard- 

 son, but differs from it in the number of spines, having one 

 more spine in the dorsal as a rule, but distinctively in the 

 possession of the hair-like prolongation of the upper ray of the 

 pectoral. 



