FAMILY, XVIII-COETPH^NID^. 249 



Gaius, 2 — ^Menb, Lacep. 

 Branchiostegals seven. Body oval, strongly compressed, with a prominent amd sJia/rp-edged abdomen. Mouth 

 very protractile. Tilliform teeth in the jaws, palate edentulous. A single long dorsal jm, without amg distinct 

 spimous portion, commenemg on the bach and extending nearly to the camdal : anal spineless, having many rays 

 which a/re enveloped vn shin and home very broad free extremities : ventral thoracic, with one spine and five rays, the 

 first of which is very elongate. Scales absent. Air-vessel la/rge amd hifwrcated posteriorly. Pyloric appendages 

 vjvmerous. 



SYNOPSIS or INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



L Mene maculaia, D. -^l^, A. 30-33. Two rows of tlie blue spots along the back. Seas of India, to the 

 Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



1. Mene maculata, Plate LIII, fig. 5. 



Zeus maculatus, Bl. Schn. p. 95, pi. 22. 



Mene anna ca/rolina, Lacep. v, pp. 479, 480, pi. xiv, f. 2. 



Zeiis ambata huttee, Eussell, Pish. Vizag. i, p. 47, pi. 60. 



Mene maculata, Cnv. and Val. x, p. 104, pi. 285; Temm. and Schleg. Pauna Japon. Poiss. p. 127, 

 p. 67, f. 3; Richards. Ich. China, p. 276; Cantor, Catal. p. 154; Bleeker, Makr. p. 86; Cut. Reg. Anim. 111. 

 Poiss. pi. 62, t. 2 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 138 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 415. 



Ambutan parah, Tarn. 



B. vii, D. -^z^, P. 15, V. 1/5, A. 30-33, C. 18, Csec. pyl. 26-30. 



Length of head 4, of catidal 4, height of body If to 2 in the total length. Hyes — diameter 2/7 to 1/3 of 

 length of head, 4/5 of a diameter apart, and 1 to 1| from end of snout. Body ovoid, highest anteriorly. 

 Dorsal profile nearly horizontal, the abdominal very abruptly descending to the base of the ventral fin, from 

 whence it gently curves so far as the commencement of the caudal. Mouth oblique, the lower jaw being 

 anterior, cleft twice as long as the gape : anterior portion of the upper jaw formed by the premaxillaries, the 

 maxilla smooth and S-shaped extends to below the anterior edge of the orbit. Opercles entire. Occipital 

 crest high. Teeth — in vilhform rows in the jaws. Fins — dorsal highest anteriorly, its first few rays undivided 

 and more elevated than the remainder. Pectoral as long as the head excluding the snout, rays flat: 

 ventral spiae short, its first ray compressed and very long. Anal rudimentary, its rays forming short, wide, and 

 flat processes : caudal deeply lobed. Lateral-line — sometimes ceases below the end of the dorsal fin, or on 

 reaoaing the upper caudal lobe it may divide into two branches, the lower of which descends. Colours — deep 

 blue along the back, becoming silvery white on the sides and abdomen : from two to three rows of large spots 

 along the superior half of the body above the level of the pectoral fin. 



This fish is termed " Amatti hatti," Tam. i. e. "rasor," Jerdon, I. c. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond : attaining at least 8^ inches in length. 



2 K 



