WRASSES. 525 



to the coasts of Soiith Australia. They feed chiefly on small 

 marine animals, and such as have compressed teeth appear to 

 feed on the small Zoophytes covering the banks, round which 

 these " Coral-iishes " abound. In a fossil state this family is 

 known from a single genus only, Odonteus, from Monte Bolca, 

 allied to Eeliastes. The recent genera belonging to this 

 family are : — Amphiprion, Premnas, Dascyllus, Lepidozygus, 

 Pomacentrus, Glyphidodon, Parma, and Heliastes. About 120 

 species are known. 



Second Family — Labeid^. 



Body oMong or elongate, covered ivith cycloid scales. The 

 lateral line extends to the caudal, or is interrupted. One dorsal 

 Jin, with the spinous portion as well developed as, or more than, 

 the soft. The soft anal similar to the soft dorsal. Ventral fins 

 thoracic, with one spine and five soft rays. Palate without 

 teeth. Branchiostegals five or six; gills three and a half; 

 pseudohranchim and air-lladder present. Pyloric appendages 

 none ; stomach without cmcal sac. 



The " Wrasses " are a large family of littoral fishes, very 

 abundant in the temperate and tro- 

 pical zones, but becoming scarcer to- 

 wards the Arctic and Antarctic circles, 

 where they disappear entirely. Many 

 of them are readily recognised by 

 their thick lips, which are sometimes 

 internally folded, a peculiarity which 

 has given to them the German term Fig. 241.— Lips of a Wrasse, 

 of "Lip-fishes." They feed chiefly ^«^-^Mi^- 



on moUusks and crustaceans, their dentition beiag admirably 

 adapted for crushing hard substances. Many species have 

 a strong curved tooth at the posterior extremity of the 

 intermaxillary, for the purpose of pressing a shell against 



