1042 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Oct, 



Otolithus ruber, Cuv. and Val. V. 60, PL 102. 

 Otolithus ruber, Swainson, Nat. Hist. Fish. II. 219. 

 Jarang gigi of the Malays. 



Adult. Head above and back pale brownish red with silver} 7 , iri- 

 descent reflections ; sides of the head and parts beneath the lateral 

 line reddish or pure shining silvery ; upper part of opercle steel-blue ; 

 lateral line silvery ; dorsal pale brownish red, the membrane minutely 

 dotted with brown ; the other fins pale reddish yellow. Iris reddish 

 golden, brown towards the orbit. 



Young. Sides of the head and parts beneath the lateral line silvery 

 pale orange. 



D 10—1/29 or 30, C 1/f, A 2/7, V 1/5, P 16, Br. VII. 



Habit. — Sea and estuaries of Pinang, Malayan Peninsula, Singa- 

 Coromandel, Malabar. [pore. 



Total length : 2 feet 6 inch. 



The length of the head is 3^- times in the total ; its vertical diameter 

 equals the distance from the muzzle to the anterior margin of the pre- 

 opercle, or exceeds by ■£ half the length of the head. The greatest 

 oblique diameter of the eye is -J- of the length of the head. The depth 

 of the body in front of the dorsal is contained 4f times in the total 

 length. In the young the caudal fin is rhomboidal, pointed ; but with 

 age it becomes rounded, and its length little less than J of the total. 

 On each side of the symphysis of the upper jaw appear two large arched 

 canines, of which the exterior is the shorter ; between the two pairs rise 

 two distant smaller, yet conspicuous teeth. On each side of the sym- 

 physis of the lower jaw appears a long canine ; in most individuals but 

 one such is visible, the corresponding one being either missing or much 

 smaller. Behind the canines both jaws have an external series of small 

 conical teeth, and in the upper appears an inner series of velvety. But 

 the lower jaw has but a few such behind the canines on the symphysis. 

 The stomach is elongated, cylindrical with four coecopyloric appendages. 

 In several it contained remains of fishes, of a small Melania and Crusta- 

 cea. The air-vessel is large, flattened, broad lanceolate, terminating 

 behind in a short point. Its length is \ of the body, the caudal not 

 included. On each side of the body of the vessel appear 34 processes, 

 of which the anterior four or five divide in four branches, the next in 

 three, the next in two, but the posterior processes, which are slightly 



