1002 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Oct. 



named Pterapon trivittatus. In the copy however, the distinguishing 

 character is not represented, nor is Buchanan's name affixed to 

 the specific. The incorrectness of the copy has caused Sir John 

 Richardson to consider it as intended to represent Therapon theraps, 

 Cuv. and Val., and he consequently placed, as a synonym of the latter, 

 Pterapon trivittatus, " Gray" an entirely distinct species, first de- 

 scribed by Buchanan Hamilton (Richardson : Report 1845, 238.) 



M. M. Cuvier and Valenciennes count 12/10 or 10 — 1/10 in the 

 dorsal, and 3/9 in the ventral fins. In colours the young resemble the 

 adult, but the distinctness of the lateral bands varies individually in 

 all ages, and in some they are greenish, instead of black. The young 

 have velvety teeth on the vomer, but they disappear with age. In the 

 Straits of Malacca the species is numerous at all seasons. 

 Therapon obscurus, Cuv. and Val. 



Therapon obscurus, Cuv. and Val. III. 135. 



Therapon obscurus, Bleeker: Verh. Batav. Gen. XXII. 23, 51. 



Pale blackish or bluish silvery, with two broad longitudinal white 

 bands on the sides ; abdomen white ; dorsal and caudal fins coloured 

 like T. trivittatus, lower half of the anal and ventral fins blackish ; 

 body and fins minutely dotted with black. Iris pale golden, black 

 towards the orbit. 



Young. Of a general darker colour than the adult. 



D 12/10 or 11, C 17|, A 3/8, V 1/5, P 13 or 14, Br. VI. 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang. 



Indian Ocean, Batavia. 



Total length, 4f inch. 



This species may readily be distinguished from the preceding by its 

 shorter, broader shape, by the uniformly toothed preopercle, and the 

 smaller spine of the opercle. From Therapon squalidus, Cuv. and Val. 

 it differs in having but 7 csecopyloric appendages. It is of rare occur- 

 rence at Pinang. In the young of this species as well as of T. trivit- 

 tatus, the suprascapular and humeral bones are not crenulated, but 

 they become so in the adult. 



Gen. Sillago, Cuvier, 1817. 



Head elongated, slightly pointed ; mouth small ; velvety teeth in 

 the jaws and in front of vomer ; opercle terminating in a small point ; 

 six branchiostegous rays ; two contiguous dorsal fins, of which the an- 



