ICHTHYOLOGICAL NOTES. 01 



Synonymy. — To the synonymy of this species, as given by Ogilby (Loc. cit.), I would add Blenm'us 

 unicornis Castelnau, the very brief description of which applies well enough to some specimens in the 

 Australian Museum collection. 



I have examined the types of P. wilsoni and P. crislatus, which are preserved in the Macleav 

 Museum, and find them quite similar, and synonymous with P. anolius. Macleav counted only twenty- 

 six rays in the dorsal, but I find there are thirty. 



The two typical examples of P. guttatus, also in the Macleav Museum, differ from the typical 

 anolius form in having only rudimentarv cephalic crests, in having no filamentous dorsal rays, and in 

 having the caudal fin rounded. The anterior profile of the head is oblique, so that the snout is pointed, 

 and the colour-marking consists principally of several rows of dark spots on the body. D. xii./i8 ; 

 A. 21-22. In all other characters they are quite similar to P. anolius. of which I regard them as the 

 female form. 



A co-type of Salarias galeatus, de Vis, from St. Helena, Moreton Bay, is preserved in the Aus- 

 tralian Museum. It differs from de Vis' descriptions in having well developed upper and lower canines, 

 but it is doubtless an authentic example. It does not differ from P. anolius. 



Variation. — Fourteen specimens, 37-80 mm. long, which I identify as P. anolius, indicate that 

 this species undergoes considerable variation with growth. The elongate rays of the dorsal and caudal 

 fins are only filamentous in larger specimens. Ths development of the cephalic crest varies greatly ; 

 it is absent in small specimens, and rudimentary in what I suppose to be females, but it increases in 

 size in adult males until its height is equal to the length of the post-orbital portion of the head. When 

 the crest is well developed, the anterior cephalic profile is subvertical, but it is more or less oblique 

 in others, so that the snout appears pointed. 



Old spirit specimens exhibit striking transverse, angular, darker bars on the sides, which become 

 oblique anteriorly, and horizontal posteriorly ; these are much less evident in fresh specimens. The 

 smaller examples bear several rows of dark spots on the sides posteriorly, which may be coalescent into 

 horizontal lines. 



Figure. — The specimen figured is 69 mm. long, and was found in an oyster-shell forwarded to the 

 Sydney markets, by Inspector Smithers. It was alive upon its arrival here, and so enabled me to il- 

 lustrate more of its colour-marking than can be observed in preserved specimens. 



Localities. — Fourteen specimens are preserved in the collections of the Australian Museum and 

 the Macleay Museum from the following localities : — New South Wales : Jervis Bay, Port Jackson, 

 Hawkesbury River Estuary, and Tweed River Estuary. Queensland : Moreton Bay and Caloundra. 



Petroscirtes rotundiceps, Macleay. 



Petroscirtes fasciolatus, Macleay, P.L.S.N.S.W. vi., 1881, p. 8 (not Omobranchas fasciolatus 



Ehrenberg) . 

 Petroscirtes rotundiceps, Macleay, Ibid, p. 9. 

 Salarias furtivus, de Vis, P. Roy. Soc. Old., ii., 1886, p. 60. 



Petroscirtes macleayi, Ogilby, Cat. Fish. N.S.W., 1886, p. 38, substitute name for P. fasciolatus 



Macl. 

 Petroskirtes furtivus, Ogilby, P. Roy. Soc. Old., xxiii., 1910, p. 48. 



Synonymy. — The two typical examples of P. rotundiceps preserved in the Macleay Museum are 

 structurally similar to those of P. fasciolatus and P. furtivus. They are very bleached, but still show 

 a dark post-orbital spot and same blue lines on the sides which are similar to those of the other 

 species. D. xiL/22 ; A. 24. 



P. fasciolatus is represented by twelve examples in the Macleay Museum, while five cotypes of 

 P. furtivus are in the Australian Museum, which enable me to verify the synonymy given by Ogilby. 



