1182 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Nov. 



FAM. BLENNIOID.E. 

 Gen. Petroscirtes, Ruppell 1828. 

 (Omobranchtjs, [Ehrenherg i ~] Cuv. and Vol. 1836. — 

 Blennechis,* Cuv. and Vol. 1836.) 



Teeth setaceous, minute, in a single series ; branchial opening very 

 small, placed above the pectoral fins ; dorsal single, with flexible, but 

 not articulated rays ; ventrals thoracic, with three rays. 



Petroscirtes variabilis, Cantor. 



Head above and back light brownish olive ; sides of the head and 

 body yellowish ; abdomen greenish yellow ; from the orbit to the 

 caudal a longitudinal blackish band, above which the head and body 

 minutely dotted and clouded with black ; dorsal yellowish olive, dotted 

 with black, rays with more or less distinct blackish spots forming two 

 or three longitudinal series ; in some individuals a black spot between 

 the points of the first and second ray ; caudal yellow, base minutely 

 dotted with black and in some with a central black spot ; anal yellow 

 minutely dotted with black, in some with black spots on the rays 

 forming two or three longitudinal series ; ventrals yellow ; pectorals 

 transparent. Iris bright yellow clouded with blackish ; orbital margin 

 olive. 



D 11/17 to 20, C llf, A 17 to 21, V 3, P 15, Br. VI. 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang, Singapore. 



Total length : 5 inch. 



The form of the body is elongated, gradually compressed from the 

 head to the tail ; the greatest vertical diameter of the body, in front of 



* Blennechis, Cuv. and Val. — " Branchiostegous membrane closed beneath 

 and communicating externally by a small fissure above the base of the pectoral 

 fins ; dentition a modification of that of Blennius : lower incisors, attached to 

 the anterior part of the jaw ; on each side a long canine, in some species enormous, 

 reclining ; in others arched, and when the mouth is closed, fitting in a cavity on 

 each side of the palate ; dorsal undivided ; tentacles absent in most." (Cuv. and 

 Val. XI. 279). — Of the two species of Petroscirtes, described by Dr. Ruppell, 

 P. mitratus is characterised as having in both jaws a single close series of fine 

 setaceous teeth ; P. ancylodon as having in addition two small canines on each side 

 of the upper jaw, and a very long one on each side of the lower. As M. M. Cuvier 

 and Valenciennes admit both species in their Genus Blennechis, Dr. Huppell's 

 Petroscirtes claims priority. 



