1889.] FISHES FROM MUSCAT. 237 



place. Thanks to the exertions of Mr. Jayakar, the number of 

 species of Fishes recordefl from Muscat now known amounts to 25fi. 



ACANTHOPTERYGII. 

 Percid^. 



1. Sereanus latifasciatus, Schleg. 



2. Serrakus diacanthtjs, C. & V. 



3. Serranus salmonoides, Lacep. 



4. Serranus coromandelicus, Day. 



D. ^~. A. l- P. 17. L. lat. 145-150. L. tr. ^^i- 



Canines moderate ; two rows of teeth on the sides of the lower 

 jaw, those of the inner row largest. Length of the head thrice and 

 three fifths or thrice and two thirds in the total ; forehead very 

 convex, with a depression between the nostrils ; diameter of the eye 

 six or six and a half times in the length of the head ; maxillary 

 reaching posteriorly to the vertical of the posterior third of the eye ; 

 prseoperculum finely serrated posteriorly, the denticulations stronger 

 at the angle, which is rounded and not produced ; upper border 

 of opercle slightly sinuous ; median opercular spine nearer the lower 

 than the upper, lower much further back than the latter. Depth of 

 the body about four times and a half in the total length. Third and 

 fourth dorsal spines longest, a little longer than tl>e longest branched 

 raj's, which are about once and a half as long as the posterior spines. 

 Pectorals reaching to below the sixth or seventh dorsal spine. 

 Caudalis truncate, when spread out with perfectly straight posterior 

 border. Dark purplish brown on the upper surfaces and fins, paler 

 brown inferiorly ; body and dorsal fin with scattered subcircular 

 ■ whitish spots of various sizes. 



A single dry sjiecimen, 21 inches long, is in Mr. Jayakar's collec- 

 tion ; another, 26 inches long, stuffed, likewise from Muscat, formed 

 part of the collection of the late East-India Museum transferred 

 to the British Museum in 1880. Except in the rather smaller 

 scales, these specimens agree well with one of the types, a half skin 

 from Madras, presented by Mr. Francis Day. 



5. Serranus jayakari, sp. n. 



D. ^. A. |. P. 17. L. lat. 140-150. L. tr. i|g. 



Canine teeth small ; teeth on the sides of the lower jaw mostly in 

 four rows. Length of head thrice and one fourth to thrice and one 

 third in the total ; forehead convex ; diameter of the eye six and a 

 half or seven times in the length of the head ; maxillary reaching 

 to below the centre of the posterior border of the eye ; preeopercu- 

 lum finely serrated posteriorly, the denticulations slightly stronger 

 at the angle, which is obtuse and not produced ; upper border of 

 opercle slightly sinuous ; median opercular spine nearer the lower 



