FAMILY, I— CAECHARIID^. 711 



No spiracles. A fit lefore the root of the caudal fin. Snout longitudinally produced. Mouth crescentic : 

 the labial fold or groove rarely extends beyond the angle of the mouth. Teeth erect or oblique with a sharp more or 

 less compressed cusp, sometimes triangular, the edges of which may be serrated or smooth. The first dorsal fin, 

 destitute of a spine, is placed opposite the i/)iterspace between the pectoral and ventral : caudal with a distinct lower 

 lobe. 



Respecting tlie colours in these fishes, it must not be forgotten that black spots or marks on the fins 

 frequently become fainter in examples which have been preserved some time in spirit, more especially if 

 removed from the alcohol and permitted to dry. 



The fishes constituting this large and widely distributed Genus have been subdivided by some authors 

 into several genera, by others into the like number of sub-genera or divisions, which latter course is the one I 

 have adopted. 



a. — Teeth with smooth edges : all oblique and without swollen bases (^Scoliodon). 



1. Garcharias laticaudus. Pectoral fin not reaching to below dorsal : length of base of anal nearly 

 equalling itis distance from the ventral : second dorsal posterior to base of anal. Groove at angle of mouth not 

 extending on to the upper jaw. Indian Ocean to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond. 



2. Oa/roharias aautus. Pectoral fin reaching to below origin of dorsal : length of base of anal nearly 

 equalling half its distance from the ventral : second dorsal over end of base of anal. Grroove at angle of mouth 

 not extending on to the upper jaw. Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond. 



3. Garcharias Walbeehmii. A well marked groove at the angle of the mouth extending a short distance 

 along both jaws. The distance between the end of the snout and the mouth equals the interspace between the 

 outer margins of the nostrils. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, and Japan. 



b. Teeth with smooth edges : those in the centre of the lower jaw smaller than, those at the side, the latter being 

 swollen at their bases and having an oblique and narrow cusp. Upper teeth fiat and oblique (Physodon) . 



4. Garcharias Mulleri. Snout elongated : end of base of first dorsal above origin of the ventral : 

 second dorsal small and posterior to the base of anal. Bengal. 



c. Teeth with smooth edges : all narrow and standing on a broad base, the upper being erect or slightly 

 oblique: the lower being erect (^Aprionodon'), 



6. Garcharias acutidens. Second dorsal as large as the anal and nearly equal in size to the first dorsal. 

 Nostril with a distinct valve inferiorly. Teeth f f:||. Red Sea, East coast of Africa, seas of India. 



6. Garcharias tricuspidatus. Second dorsal nearly as large as the first. Teeth fl-Ift with a distinct basal 

 cusp on either side. Coasts of Sind to Australia. 



d. Teeth with smooth edges, except the bases of the upper ones which are serrated (Hypoprion). 



7. Garcharias Macloti. Snout pointed. The bases of the teeth in the upper jaw serrated on both sides. 

 Seas of India to New Guinea. 



8. Ga/roharias hemiodon. Snout rounded. Only the outer sides of the bases of the upper teeth serrated. 

 Seas of India. 



e. 8(me or all the teeth serrated both on their bases and on their cusps (Prionodon). 



9. Garcharias sorrah. Teeth in both jaws serrated. Gill openings wider than the orbit. Seas of India 

 to the Malay Archipelago. 



10. Garcharias Bussumieri. Teeth in both jaws serrated. Second dorsal not much smaller tJian tJie anal. 

 Fins darkish with light edges. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. j. t j- 



11. Garcharias Gangeticus. Snout obtuse. Teeth in both jaws serrated. Seas of India to Japan : it 



ascends rivers. ,. „ c t a- i. 



12. Garcharias melamopterus. Teeth in both jaws serrated. All the fins black edgeel. beas ot India to 



the Malay Archipelago, and beyond. . . . i- a i? • j 



13. Garcharias Bleeheri. Fins, except the first dorsal, with black extremities. East coast ot Africa and 



seas of India. , , t ■ i -i-u u i 



14. Garcharias ElUoti. Teeth coarsely serrated in upper jaw : awl-shaped m lower, some witu a basal 



cusp. Seas of India. ., ,i i a i,i i j. 



15. Garcharias menisorrah. Upper teeth serrated : second dorsal opposite the anal. A black spot on 



second dorsal. Seas of India. i j t? a t 



16. Garcharias iMnbatas. Teeth serrated and on rather a broad base : lower more slender. Jinds ot some 



of the fins black. Seas of India and beyond. , . ^ • . i i • i, 



17. Garcharias TemmvncUi. Teeth in both jaws slender and from thirty-six to torty m number. 



India. 



