1849.] Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. 1087 



FAM. SCOMBROIDS. 

 Gen. Scomber (Artedi) Linne, 1748. 



Anterior dorsal fin separated by a considerable interval from the 

 second, the posterior part of which as well as of the anal fin, forms 

 five spurious fins ; on each side of the tail two small crests, the one 

 above the other ; body fusiform with small smooth scales. Branchi- 

 ostegous rays 7. 



Scomber microlepidotus, Riippell. 



Scomber microlepidotus, Riippell : Neue Wirbelth. Fische, p. 38, 



Taf. 11, Fig. 2, 



Head above, back and sides as far as the lateral line intense steel- 

 blue, after death with three irregular series of black spots ; sides of the 

 occiput and of the body immediately beneath the lateral line silvery 

 light blue ; lower part of the sides, abdomen, and sides of the head 

 shining silvery, immediately behind the angle of the mouth a black 

 triangular spot ; membrane of anterior dorsal transparent, scantily 

 dotted with brown along the spines ; second dorsal, caudal, anal and 

 the spurious fins pale yellow ; the dorsal spurious fins and the caudal 

 with black margins ; ventrals and pectorals whitish, the latter with a 

 blackish line along the root. Iris silvery round the pupil, the rest 

 bluish black. 



D 9— 12— V, C 17|, A 1/11— V, V 1/5, P 18, Br. VII. 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang. 



Massaua, (Red Sea.) 



Total length : 5 inch. 



The length of the head is 3£ in the total. The diameter of the 

 orbit is 3J in the length of the head ; the distance between the eyes 

 across the forehead is § of the diameter. The anterior and posterior 

 thirds of the eye are covered by an adipose crescent-shaped membrane, 

 leaving a central, lanceolate space open. A single series of minute, 

 yet visible teeth, appear in both jaws. The cavity of the mouth is 

 whitish, minutely dotted with black ; the anterior part of the tongue 

 it flattened, rounded, and closely dotted with black, the posterior part 

 is a narrow linear crest, covered by a series of small rounded spots of 

 velvety teeth. The sides of the head are scaleless, except the cheeks, 

 or the anterior half of the preopercle, which as well as the space below 



7 a 



