1054 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Oct. 



scale, follows the arch of the back till opposite the middle of the anal, 

 from whence it proceeds nearly straight to the point of the rhombic 

 caudal fin. In individuals with 12 dorsal spines, the eleventh is 

 slightly, the twelfth much longer than the tenth, and their membranes 

 much narrower than those connecting the rest, which from the fourth 

 gradually decrease in length. The pectorals are pointed, their length 

 equalling that of the caudal. The second anal spine, £ of the first ray, 

 is compressed, broad except near the root where it is somewhat nar- 

 rowed. The air-vessel about ^ of the length of the fish, is elongated 

 oval, terminating in a long thin point. From each side proceed 14 to 

 16 appendages, of which the two posterior ones are simple or bipartite, 

 and much longer than the preceding branching ones. At Pinang this 

 species is of too rare occurrence to make it valuable as an article of 

 food, or as yielding isinglass, although the latter is considered of good 

 quality. The fishermen assert that individuals upwards of a foot in 

 length have been taken. 



Gen. Pristipoma, Cuvier, 1817. 

 Dorsal fin single, and, as well as the anal, without scales ;* angle of 

 opercle blunt, or hid in the membrane; the external series of the 

 velvety teeth stronger than the rest ; under the symphysis of the lower 

 jaw two pores, behind which a small fosset ; branchiostegous rays 

 seven. 



Pristipoma commersoni, (Lacepede.) 



Labre commersonien, Lacep. III. 431, 477, PI. 23, Fig. 1. 



Lutjan microstome, Lacep. III. PI. 34, Fig. 2 ; IV. 181, 216. 



Labrus commersonii, Shaw, IV. 493. 



Pristipoma kaakan, Cuv. and Val. V. 244, XIII. 8 13 . 



Pristipoma commersonii, Cuv. and Val. V. 252. 



Pristipoma kaakan? Ruppell : N. W. Fishche, 123, Taf. 30, 



[Fig. 1. 



Pristipoma kaakan, Richardson : Rep. 1845, 227. 



Pristipoma kaakan, Bleeker: Verh. Batav. Gen. XXII. 3. 



(Young) . Head above and back pale greyish green ; opercle bluish 



silvery, the posterior part minutely dotted with black ; cheeks, sides 



and abdomen silvery ; the back and upper part of the sides minutely 



dotted with black and with distant indistinct brownish spots ; fin 



* As observed by M. Swainson, this character does not exist in all species. 



