1 849 .J Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. 1 1 69 



orbit. The teeth are velvety ; the 4 anterior on each side of the upper 

 jaw are distant and longer than the rest. The external series of the 

 lower jaw consists of five similar teeth on each side, the last of which 

 is slightly recurvous, but in length scarcely exceeding the four anterior. 

 The space between the nape and the anterior dorsal is naked ; the rest of 

 the body is covered with small ciliated, striated scales, which are indis- 

 tinct and almost hidden in the skin. The rays of the anterior dorsal 

 terminate in short filaments ; the first is the longest, scarcely exceeding 

 the vertical diameter at the nape, or about | of the total length ; the 

 membrane closely approaches the posterior dorsal, which, as well as the 

 anal, slightly increases in height towards the 9th branched ray, the 

 length of which equals the first ray of the anterior dorsal. The caudal, 

 ventral and pectoral fins are broad, slightly pointed ; the length of the 

 two latter is little more than f of the total. The species is not numer- 

 ous : it closely approaches Gobius phalcena, Cuv. and Val. (XII. 92). 



Gen. Apocryptes, Cuv. and Val. 1837. 

 (Scartelaos,* Swainson, 1839.) 



Ventral fins united as in Gobius ; two dorsals ; body elongated ; caudal 

 long, pointed (lanceolate) ; teeth pointed, distant, in a single series in 

 both jaws, near the symphysis of the lower two teeth a little behind 

 the rest ; scales small. 



Apocryptes lanceolatus, (Bloch-Schneider). 



Eleotris lanceolata, Bloch-Schneider, 67 , PI. 15. 



Gobius changva, Buchan. Ham. 41,365, PI. 5. Fig. 10. 



Apocryptes changva, Cuv. and Val. XII. 145. 



Scartelaos calliurus, Swainson, II. 280. 



Apocryptes changva, Bleeker : Verh. Batav. Gen. XXII. 36, 5. 



Head, cheeks and opercles blackish olive, bluish beneath ; back 

 blackish olive ; sides greenish or bright gamboge mottled with blackish ; 

 abdomen whitish or rose-coloured ; dorsal fins minutely dotted with 

 black. The rays of the second in some with brownish spots ; in the 

 young both are transversely waved with pale brown ; caudal with alter- 

 nate vermiculated brownish and whitish lines, and at the upper part of 

 the root a black ocellated spot ; anal, ventrals and pectorals buff or pale 

 yellowish. Iris buff. 



* By mistake characterised as being destitute of scales. 



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