520 A COLLECTION OF FISHES FROM SUMATRA. 



SERRANID^. 



100 Plectropoma pessuliferum sp. nov. Plate XVII, upper figure. 



Head 3 ; depth 3i; D. VII, n, 11 ; A. Ill, 8 ; P. i, 15 ; V. I, 5 ; scales 132 in 

 a lateral series to base of caudal ; 18 scales in an oblique series between origin of 

 spinous dorsal and lateral line, and 28 in a vertical transverse series between latter 

 and origin of anal ; width of liead 2 in its length ; depth of head 1^; mandible 2 ; 

 third dorsal spine 3|- ; first developed dorsal ray 2-1- ; first anal ray 2^ ; least depth 

 of caudal peduncle 21- ; pectoral 2-1- ; ventral 2^; caudal 14; snout 2^, from tip 

 of upper jaw; e^-e 6f ; maxillary 2^; interorbital space 5. 



Body oblong, compressed, and greatest depth near middle of spinous dorsal. 

 Caudal peduncle large, compressed, and its greatest depth three-quarters its length. 



Head elongate, compressed, rather pointed, and profiles about evenly convex. 

 Snout moderate, convex, and upper jaw well projecting. Eye small and high. 

 Mouth curved, oblique, jaws large, and lower protruding. Maxillary large, ex- 

 panded distally till about seven-eighths of orbit, and reacliing posteriorly about 

 opposite front rim of pupil. Lips broad, thick, and fleshy. Teeth conic, sharp, 

 some of outer erect, inner more or less depressable, and each jaw with two well sep- 

 arated canines. Vomerine and palatine teeth minute. Tongue small, narrow, 

 broadly pointed and free in front. Nostrils close together, circular, anterior with a 

 little fleshy rim, and posterior much larger, placed about last two-fifths of snout in 

 front of lower part of eye. Interorbital space and top of head convex. Lower 

 margin of preopercle with about three low obsolete spines directed down and for- 

 ward. Opercular spines two, lower forward, and much smaller than upper. 



Gill-opening large, extending forward nearly opposite posterior nostril. Gill- 

 rakers 3 + 9, compressed, strong, longest equal to gill-filaments, or about three-fifths 

 of orbit, and inner surfaces with large asperities. Pseudobranchite well developed. 

 Isthmus broad, with a short groove in front, and constricted edge rounded. 



Scales small, mostly somewhat oblong, and finely' ciliated. Head, with excep- 

 tion of snout, lips, greater portion of maxillary, branchiostegal region, narrow space 

 around eye, and interorbital region, covered with small scales. Basal portions of 

 soft dorsal, anal, and caudal covered with small scales. Axil of pectoral with a pit, 

 covered above with a small fleshy flap. Lateral line continuous, a little convex in 

 front, and not pronounced. 



Spinous dorsal lower than soft fin, continuous, inserted a little behind origin of 

 pectoral, and spines about even, except first, which is shortest. First two dorsal 

 rays not much branched, insertion of fin about midway between middle of eye and 

 base of caudal. Anal inserted a little nearer base of caudal than origin of pectoral, 

 spines flexible distally and graduated to last, which is longest. Caudal large, broad, 

 and emarginate. Pectoral broad, rounded, and middle rays longest. Ventral pointed, 

 inserted a trifle before pectoral, and reaching a little beyond same. Anus about last 

 three-ninths of space between tips of ventrals and origin of spinous anal. 



Color in arrack yellow, more or less tinged with orange below and pinkish 

 above. Body marked with many blue spots with dark brown edges, rather large 



