MCCULLOCH. 51 



149a. S. obtusata. Striped Sea Pike. Id. Cuvier & Valenciennes. Hist. 



Nat. Poiss. iii, 1829, p. 350; Id, Gthr., Fisch. Suclsee vi, 1877, p. 212, 



pi. 119, b (PI. xiv.) 



Not uncommon on the coast. Length about lb inches. S. grandisquamis 



Steindaehner, Sitzb. Akad. Wiss. Wien liii, 186b, p. 44b, from Port Jackson, is 



apparently synonymous with £'. ubtu^ata. 



149b. S. xovae-hollandiae. Short-finned Sea Pike. Id. Gthr., Brit. 



Bins. Cat. Fish, ii, 1860, p. 335; Id, Ogilby, Ed. Fish. N.S. Wales, 



1893, pi. 30 (PI. xiv). 

 A southern species, but generally represented in the Sydney markets in small 

 numbers. Length to 3 feet. 



149c. S. waitii. Id. Ogilby. Ann. Qld. Mus. No. 9, 1908, p. 29. 

 This species is perhaps merely the young of the preceding. 



Threadfins. Suborder POLYNEMOIDEA. 

 Pectoral fins divided into two portions, the lower of which is composed of 

 separate slender thread-like rays. 



LXX VI . Family Polyn emidae. 



150. Polyxejiun Linn., Syst. Nat. 10th ed., 1758, p. 317 (paradiseus) ■ 

 A. 13-14 dorsal rays; free pectoral rays not reaching to the anal. 



B. 67 scales to hypural joint; depth of body much less than length of head; 

 preopercular margin coarsely denticulate. indicus ( 150a) . 



BB. 60 scales to hypural joint; depth of body equal to length of head; pre- 

 opercular margin finely serrate. plebeius (150b). 

 AA. 12 dorsal rays; some free pectoral rays reaching the anal. macrochir (150c). 

 150a. P. indicus. Thkeadfin. Id. Shaw, Gen. Zool. v, 1804, p. 155; Id. 



McClelland, Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist, iii, 1843, p. 179, pi. 6. 

 Recorded from Sydney by Gunther, but proof of the occurrence of this 

 species in our waters is required. Length 4 feet. 



150b. P. plebeius. Id. Broussonet, Ichth. Descr. et Icones, 1782, 8th plate. 



Id. Gthr., Fisch. Sudsee i, 1873-5, p. 103, pi. lxxvii, a. 

 A tropical species. One specimen in the Australian Museum from Port 

 Stephens, collected by Fisheries Inspector Paton, May 1913. Length 14 inches. 



150c. P. macrochir. Tassel Fish. Id. Gthr., A.M.N.H. (3) xx, 1867, 



p. 60. 

 An imperfectly described and little known species. 



Suborder LABYRINTHICI or ANABANTOIDEA. 

 Families Ophiocephalidae and Anabantidae. 

 Ophiocephalus striatus Bloch, and Polyacanthus cupanus Cuv. & Val., have 

 been incorrectly recorded from Sydney by Kner, Novara Zool. i, 1865, pp. 218 

 & 234. No members of the Suborder are known from Australia. 



Suborder STROMATEOIDEA. 

 Oesophagus with lateral sacs which bear teeth. 

 A. Spinous dorsal shorter than soft portion; scales normal, not rugose; mandi- 

 bular teeth not forming a cutting edge. Family Stroviateidae (No. lxxvii). 

 AA. Spinous dorsal longer than soft portion; scales rugose; mandibular teeth 

 compressed to form a cutting edge. Family Tctragonuridae (No. lxxviii). 



