414 ACANTHOPTERTGII. 



Family, XLII— CHEOMIDES, MuUer. 



Branchiostegals five or six : pseudobranohisB absent. Gills four. Body oblong or elevated. Small teeth 

 in jaws, none on palate : inferior pharyngeal bones triangular with a median longitudinal suture. Dorsal 

 fin single, the spinous portion being usually of greater extent than the soft : anal with three or more spines, 

 its soft portion similar to that of the dorsal. Ventrals thoracic with one spine and five rays.. Scales 

 generally ctenoid. Lateral-line more or less interrupted. Air-vessel present. Pyloric appendages, when 

 present, few. 



Amongst the many genera into wMcTi this family of freshwater fishes is diyided only one {EtroplMs) has 

 been discoTered in India, the remainder being from Tropical Africa, and America. 



SYNOPSIS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Mroplus. Body elevated. Spinous portion of dorsal fin more developed than the soft. Teeth lobate. 

 Western and Coromandel coasts of India, also Ceylon. 



Genus, 1 — Eteoplus, Gvm. omd Vol. 



Pseudetrophis, Bleeker. 



Brcmehiostegals six : psevdobrandhice present. Body elevated and compressed. Eyes lateral. Cleft of mouth 

 small. Teeth in two rows (or even three) in the jaws, compressed and lobate at their summits. A single dorsal, the 

 spinous portion heing of greater extent (17-22) than the rayed (6-16); anal spines more n/wmerous (12-16) than 

 the rays (6-12). Scales very slightly ctenoid, of moderate size, and extended on to the bases of the soft dorsal amd 

 anal fins. Lateral-line interrupted or abrwptly ceasing. Air-vessel present, large and simple. Pyloric appendages 



Geographical distribution. — The fishes of this genus are found from South Canara, southwards along the 

 Malabar coast, in Ceylon, along the Coromandel coast as high as the southern portion of Orissa, whilst inland 

 I have obtained them from Arcot. The H. Suratensis has the most extensive range, occupying the whole of the 

 region adverted to, except inland, as it rarely exists. many miles from the sea, but I have taken a few specimens 

 at Vithry in the Wynaad, showing that it may be found in an elevated locality : it extends its range into brackish 

 or even saline water. The H. Oanarensis appears to be locally confined to Canara ; whilst the E. maculatus 

 extends throughout the region inhabited by the J7. Ganarensis and E. Suratensis, except that it is not found in 

 Orissa, whilst in Madras its range covers many miles inland. This genus does not approach any known Malayan 

 one, but is intimately connected with a new genus (Paretroplus) of freshwater fishes, that Dr. Bleeker has 

 recently discovered amongst some received from Madagascar, (see Msh. Madagascar, p. 13, t. iv, f . 3.) 



SYNOPSIS OP SPECIES. 



1. Etroplus Oanarensis. D.^'^«^ A. ^f:f«. L. 1. 30-31. Yellowish with eight slate coloured, dark, 

 vertical bands. South Canara in fresh water. 



2. Etroplus maculatus. D. "-iH^, A. ^fri', L. 1. 35. Prom one to three dark blotches along the sides. 

 Each scale with a golden central spot. Fresh waters along the coasts of South Canara, Malabar, Ceylon, and 

 Madras, whilst inland it is taken at least as far as Arcot. 



3. Etroplus Swratensis. D. \%Z^, A. if:^}, L. 1. 35- 40. Eight vertical dark bands, each scale on the 

 body with a white central spot. Fresh waters and estuaries along the coast of South Canara, Malabar, Ceylon, 

 and Madras to Orissa, on the Malabar coast it extends inland to the Wynaad. 



1. Etroplus Ganarensis, Plate LXXXIX, fig. 5. 



B. vi, D. » V% P- 15, V. 1/5, A. ^^-.\\ C. 16, L. 1. 30-31, L. tr. 61/16. 



Length of head 3f to Z\, of caudal 4 to 4i, height of body 2i to 2| in the total length. Eyes— 

 diameter 3 to 3 J in the length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout and also apart. Teeth— wery distinctly 

 lobate on either side. Fins — dorsal spines moderately strong, increasing in length to the fifth, from whence 

 they continue of about equal length. Soft dorsal and caudal pointed : pectoral reaching to above fourth or 



