300 LAimiDK 



ACANTHOPTERYGU. LABRIDJE. 



~'^^^^ 



THE SCALE-RAYED WRASSE. 



Crenilabrus luscus. The Scale-rayed Wrasse of Couch's MS. 

 Lahrus, Linn«us. 



,, ,, Couch, Loudon Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. v. p. 18. and 



p. 741 &2,fig. 121. 



" The specimen was twenty-two inches long; the greatest 

 depth exclusive of the fins two and a quarter inches ; the 

 body plump and rounded. Head elongated ; lips mem- 

 branous ; teeth numerous, in several rows, those in front 

 larger and more prominent, rather incurved. Eye mo- 

 derately large ; anterior gill-plate sen-ate ; six gill-rays ; body 

 and gill-covers with large scales ; lateral line nearer the back, 

 descending with a sweep opposite the termination of the 

 dorsal fin, thence backward straight. Dorsal fin twenty-one 

 firm rays, eight soft rays ; the fin connected with the latter 

 expanded, reaching to the base of the tail : pectorals round, 

 fourteen rays ; ventrals six rays, the outermost simple, stout, 

 firm, tipped ; between these fins a large scale. Anal fin, 

 six firm, eight soft rays, the soft portion of the last expanded. 

 Tail round, fifteen rays ; between each ray of the dorsal, 



