250 ACANTHOPTERYGn. 



Family, XIX— SCOMBRID^, Cm. 



Branchiostegals seven or eight: pseudobranchiae. Body oblong or slightly elongated and compressed. 

 Gill-openings wide : eyes lateral. The infraorbital bones do not articulate with the preopercle. Teeth present 

 in the jaws, absent or present on the palate. Two dorsal fins, the first being distinct from the soft, which 

 has more rays than the first has spines : finlets present or absent : ventrals thoracic (jugular in Hypsvptera) ■ 

 no prominent papilla near the vent. Side of tail sometimes keeled. Scales, if present, small. Air-vessel 

 present or absent. Pyloric appendages moderate, numerous, or dendritical. Vertebrae exceed 10/14, 



SYNOPSIS OP GENERA 



1. Scomber. Teeth small, present in jaws. Five or six finlets : a low ridge on either side of base of tail. 

 Body equally scaled. Red Sea, tkrougb those of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond, also in most 

 temperate and tropical seas. 



2. Thynrms. Teeth small, present in jaws, vomer, and palate. Six to nine finlets : a central keel along 

 either side of free portion of taH. Scales in the anterior region of the body fo rming a corselet. Red Sea, 

 through those of India to the Malay Archipelago ; also in most open temperate and tropical seas. 



3. Gyhkim. Teeth large in jaws, small on vomer and palate. Seven to ten finlets : a central keel along 

 either side of free portion of tail. Scales when present mdimentary. Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay 

 Archipelago ; also in the Atlantic. 



4. Elacate.* No finlets. First dorsal fim as free spines. A low keel along either side of free portion of 

 the tan. Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay ArcMpelago ; also in tropical parts of the Atlantic. 



5. Echeneis.f No finlets. First dorsal ia the form of a sucking disk on the summit of the head. No 

 keel on side of tail. Found in most seas. 



Genus, 1 — Scombee, Artedi. 



Branchiostegals semen : pseudolrcmcMce. Body rather elongated and compressed. Eyes with adipose lids. 

 Cleft of mouth deep. Small deciduous teeth on the jaws; deciduous ones present or absent on the vomer, amdpalatvne 

 hones. Two dorsal fms, the first spinous and separated hy an interspace from the second, behind which and also 

 posterior to the anal are five or six finlets : less spines in the first dorsal than there are rays in the second dorsal or in 

 the anal: ventrals thoracic. Two slight Heels on either side of the root of the caitdal fin. Scales small. Air-vessel, 

 when present, simple. Pyloric appendages numerous. 



Although the young of the Cybium, Elacate, &c. are common all along the coasts of India, I have never 

 obtained the f^ of any species of Scomber. Sars has observed that the Mackerel deposits its ova ia the open 

 sea, where it floats near the surface (see Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1868, ii, p. 390). 



Geographical distribution. — ^Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond ; also in most 

 temperate and tropical seas. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1. Scomber microlepidotus, D. 10 | ^ + v-vi, A. -Jj- -]_ v-vi. Length of head 3| to 4r, height of body 4 to 

 4f in the total length. A black spot covered by the pectoral fin in the young, bands along the back and sides 

 La the adult. Red Sea, through those of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



2. Scomber brachysoma, D. 10 | Jj- -f v, A. Jj- -f- v. Length of head 3|, height of body 3f in the total 

 length. Andamans to the Malay Archipelago. 



1. Scomber microlepidotus, Plate LIV, fig. 3 (yowng), 4 (immature), and 5 (adult). 



Riipp. N. W. Fische, p. 38, t. xi, f. 2 ; Cantor, Oatal. p. 105 ; Gunther, Catal. ii, p. 361 ; Kner, Novara 

 Fische, p. 143 ; Steind. Ak. Wiss. Wien, 1868, Ivii, p. 987 ; Klunz. Verb. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1871, p. 443. 



Scomber hanagurta, RusseU, Fish. Vizag. ii, p. 28, pl. 136 ; Riipp. Atl. Fische, p. 93, and N. W. Fische, 

 p. 37 ; Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 49 ; Cuv. Reg. Anim. ; Sleeker, Makr. p. 35 ; Peters. Weigm. Arch. 1855, p. 245 ; 

 Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 135; Gunther, Catal. ii, p. 360 ; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 68; Kjier, Novara 

 Fische, p. 142 ; Klunz. Verb. z. b. Ges, Wien, 1871, p. 441. 



Scomber ehrysozowus, Riipp. N. W. Fische, t. xi, f . 1 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 3G0. 



Scomber Beani, Day, Proc. Z. S. 1870, p. 690 (adult). 



Karna-kita or KarnoMg-hullutam, Tarn. : Kanagurta, Tel. : Ila, Mai. : Nga-congree, " Large head," Mugh. : 

 LooTc-wa-dah, Andam. 



* A portion of Fam. Lichoidei, Bleeker (see note, page 229). 

 t Forming a distinct Family, Echenkoidei, Bleeker. 



