1849.] Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. 989 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang. 



Rivers of Lower Bengal, Batavia, Samarang, Surubaya, Bima, 

 Sumbawa. 



Total length : 4f inch. 



As observed by MM. Cuvier and Valenciennes this species differs 

 from Chanda gymnocephala (Lacepede). (Syn. Scicena safgha~Forska\1 — 

 Lutjanus gymnocephalus, Lacep. — Centropomus ambassis, Lacep. — Am- 

 bassis commersonii, Cuv. and Val. II. 17, PI. 25) by its comparatively 

 shorter head, blunter muzzle, and greater depth of the body. Besides, it 

 may at once be distinguished by the extent of the membrane connecting 

 the anterior to the posterior dorsal, which in the present species attaches 

 itself to the lower third of the spine of the posterior dorsal, but does 

 not as in Chanda gymnocephala descend nearly down to the level of 

 the back. From the individuals described by Buchanan, those inha- 

 biting the sea differ slightly in colours, and in having one, rarely two, 

 branched rays less in the posterior dorsal and anal fins. The species 

 is at all seasons of no rare occurrence at Pinang. It feeds on small 

 Crustacea. 



The preceding species of Apogon and Chanda are of little value as 

 articles of food. At Pinang they, as well as numerous other small 

 fishes, the daily residue of the market, are used as manure. 



Gen. Serranus, Cuv. and Val. 1828. 



Dorsal fin single ; preopercle serrated ; opercle with two or three 

 flat spines ; teeth velvety, with a greater or smaller number of longer, 

 pointed teeth ; crown of the head, opercles, and cheeks covered with 

 scales ; muzzle and jaws with more or less perceptible scales, or apa- 

 rently naked. 



Serranus hexagonatus, (Forster.) 



Perca hexagonata, Forster. 



Holocentrus hexagonatus, Bloch. Schneider. 



Serranus hexagonatus, Cuv. and Val. II. 330. 



Serranus stellans, Richardson, Ann. Nat. Hist. March 1842. 



Serranus hexagonatus, Richardson : Voy. Sulph. 82, PI. 38 y Fig. 1 • 



Ground colour of the head above, back and upper half of the sides 

 pale reddish brown with numerous rounded, frequently confluent spots, 



