1849.] Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. 1155 



or bluish silvery ; anal spines and rays white, the latter minutely dot- 

 ted with black ; pectorals yellowish white. 



Young. Like the adult, but the head, body, dorsal and anal fins, 

 minutely dotted with black, in some so closely, as to impart a general 

 blackish colour. 



D 8/28, 29 or 30, C 17f, A 3/29 or 30, V 1/3, 4 or 5, P 17 or 18, 



Br. VI. 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang, Malayan Peninsula, Singapore. 

 Isle of France, Red Sea, Coromandel. 



Total length : 5^ inch. 



The length of the head is contained 3^- times in the total ; its great- 

 est vertical diameter is ^ of the total length. The diameter of the eye 

 is contained 2\ times in the length of the head, but equals the distance 

 across the forehead. The height of the body, between the origin of 

 the dorsal and anal fins, is contained about 1 \ time in the total length : 

 it equals the distance from the centre of the anterior part of the 

 orbit to the termination of the dorsal and anal fins. Vertically 

 measured, the dorsal equals the length of the head; the anal is 

 somewhat more ; it nearly equals the greatest vertical diameter of 

 the head or about \ of the total length. The ventral spines are very 

 short, but strong, each being T ^- of the length of the head ; at the 

 base both are almost in contact, but their points diverge. The ventral 

 rays of each fin are contained in a small groove in the body ; they are 

 very minute and their number not only varies from 5 to 3 in different 

 individuals, but also on either side in the same individual. The pro- 

 posed genus Psettus, Cuv. and Val. 1831, is characterised as having 

 no palatal teeth, which, as far as the present species is concerned, is a 

 mistake. ForskaTs diagnosis of Scomber rhomheus says : " denies 

 numerosi sub tiles. Lingua obtusa, prope apicem superne callo ovali, 

 piano, albido, scabro," which is perfectly correct. All the teeth are 

 velvety, " en velours ras et serre ;" those of both jaws appear like nar- 

 row bands ; of the vomer like a small rhombic elevation ; of the palate 

 on each side like a lancet-shaped line, broader in front ; of each of the 

 pterygoid bones like a triangular band, broader than the rest, and with 

 the apex in front. On the oval tongue the teeth occupy the middle, 

 leaving the margin naked. Single individuals occur during all seasons 

 at Pinang, where they are eaten by the natives. 



