120 SCOEPIDID.E. 



6 branchiostegal rays ; pseuclobranchiae large. Dorsal and anal elongate 

 and thickly scaled, the former with 7 or 8, the latter with 3 spines ; 

 anterior spines short and isolated, posterior elongate but only their 

 extremity projecting from the scaly skin. Ventrals very small or 

 rudimentary, below the pectorals. Vertebrae 23-24 (9-10 + 14). Air- 

 bladder bifurcate behind. 



Coasts of Africa, Southern Asia, and Australasia. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



Depth of body 1\ to 2 times in total length ; 

 D. VIII 27-30; A. Ill 27-30; 20-24 gill- 

 rakers on lower port of anterior arch ; ventral [p. 120. 

 with 5 soft rays 1. P. falciformis, Laeep., 



Depth of body 1£ to H times in total length ; 

 D. VIII 28-30; A. Ill 29-32; 17-19 gill- 

 rakers; ventral with 2 to 4 soft rays .... 2. P. argenteus, L., p. 121. 



Depth of body greater than length ; D. VIII (rarely 

 VII) 31-34 ; A. Ill 34-38 ; 20-24 gill-rakers ; 

 ventral with or without 1 or 2 soft rays . . . 3. P. sebce, 0. & V., p. 123. 



1. PSETTUS FALCIFORMIS. 



Monodactylus falciformis, Lacep. Hist. Poiss. ii. pi. v. fig. 4 (1801), and iii. p. 132 



(1802). 

 Psettus commersonii, Guv. & Val. Hist. Poiss. vii. p. 250 (1831). 

 Psettus falciformis, Giinth. Cat. Fish. ii. p. 488 (1860) ; Day, Fish. Ind. p. 234, 



pi. Ii. a. fig. 6 (1870); Sanv. Hist. Madag., Poiss. p. 334 (1891); M. Web. 



Zool. Jahrb., Syst. x. 1897, p. 142. 

 Stromatoidea layardi, Casteln. Mem. Poiss. Afr. Austr. p. 44 (1861). 

 Psettus orbicularis, Guiehen. Mem. Soc. Sci. Cherbourg, sii. 1866, p. 136. 

 Psettus argenteus, part , Klunz. Fische Roth. Meer. p. 117 (1884). 



Depth of body 1\ to 2 times in total length, length of head 2| to 3^ 

 times. Snout about \ as long as eye, which is 2 to 2| times in length 

 of head and exceeds by \ or ^ interorbital width ; maxillary extending 

 to below anterior fourth of eye ; head entirely covered with very small 

 scales. Gill-rakers loug, 20-24 on lower part of anterior arch. Dorsal 

 VIII 27-30 ; last spine \, or a little less than ^, length of head ; anterior 

 soft rays much longer, forming an obtuse lobe. Anal III 27-30 ; third 

 spine | to \ length of head. Ventral very small but well developed, 

 with a spine and 5 soft rays. Caudal feebly emarginate. Caudal 

 peduncle as long as deep or a little deeper than long. 50-60 tubes in 

 lateral line. Silvery, back brownish ; extremity of anterior dorsal and 



