i8 



Memoirs of the Indian Museum. 



[Vol.. Ill, 



B. — Gill opening above pectoral. 



Family II, Malthidae. 

 a. — A soft dorsal present. 



[a) Palate edentulous; 2 gills 

 {a') Palate edentulous ; 2J gills 

 {a") Teeth on palate and vomers 

 b. — No soft dorsal . . 



Dibranchus. 

 Halieutaea. 

 Malthopsis. 

 Halicmetus. 



II. — Head and body compressed or rounded. 

 A. — Pectoral fin straight. 



Family III, Ceratiidak. 

 a. — Skin smooth. 



{a) A pair of cephalic spines ; a jointed dorsal fila- 

 ment situated behind the head 

 {a') Dorsal filament on snout 

 {a") Two dorsal filaments 

 b. — Skin covered with minute prickles 



Lophodolus. 

 Melanocoetus. 

 Oneirodes. 

 C er alias. 



-Pectoral fin distinctly elbowed. 



Family IV, Antennariidae. 

 {a Body not much compressed; spinous dorsal 



consisting of i or 2 unprotected tentacles . . Chaunax. 

 (b) Body compressed and elevated; spinous dorsal 

 consisting of 3 spines, of which the first is 

 tentacular . . . . . . Antennarius. 



Family MALTHIDAE. 

 Genus Hai^ieutaea, Cuv. & Val. 



Key to the Indian species of Halieutaea. 



-Under surface of disk covered with perfectly smooth, 

 glandular, nearly transparent skin. 

 Five rays in the dorsal fin 



H. fumosa. 



II. — Under surface of disk bearing minute stellate spines 

 or granules covered with skin which is opaque or 

 slightly translucent. 

 A. — Four rays in the dorsal fin. 



(a) Roof of tentacular cavity extending forward 

 as far as the edge of the disk ; caudal and 

 pectoral fins not edged with black . . H. 



