134G Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Dec. 



spine, its number of finrays and colours. From the muzzle to the 

 lower angle of the gill-opening the head is \ of the total length. The 

 eye borders upon the profile, occupying the posterior third of the 

 length of the head, of which the horizontal diameter is ^ ; the distance 

 between the anterior angles of the eye equals the diameter ; that 

 between the posterior ones is \ longer. The nostrils, lips, teeth and 

 tongue resemble those organs of T. biaculeatus, but the gill-opening is 

 proportionally shorter, being but f of the diameter of the eye. The 

 distance from the muzzle to the first dorsal spine is a little less than ^ 

 of the total length. The spine resembles that of T. biaculeatus, equal- 

 ling the greatest vertical diameter of the body. The second spine is 

 remarkably long, \ of the former, and the length of the connecting 

 membrane corresponds ; the extent of the fin, and its distance from the 

 posterior dorsal are the same in both species. The longest ray of the 

 posterior dorsal is proportionally shorter, being § of the diameter of 

 the eye, but its distance from the caudal is greater : it equals the 

 extent of the base, which is £ of the length of the head. The falcated 

 anal commences opposite the 12th ray of the posterior dorsal, and ter- 

 minates opposite the last ray ; the longest ray slightly exceeds the 

 diameter of the eye ; the extent of the base is proportionally shorter than 

 in T. biaculeatus. The caudal is less deeply cleft almost crescent-shaped ; 

 the lobes equal ; their length is contained 4 \ times in the base of the pos- 

 terior dorsal. The pectorals are rounded, their length slightly exceeding 

 the diameter of the eye. The ventral spines resemble those of T. biacu- 

 leatus ; but the intermediate pelvic spine is in the present proportion- 

 ally longer, and covered with larger scales, entirely different from those 

 of the rest of the body; their form is hexagonal with excessively 

 minute spinous crests radiating to the margins. The scales of the 

 body (Plate IX. Fig. 2. Magnified), although small, are perceptibly lar- 

 ger than in biaculeatus, and with their horizontal diameter longer than 

 the vertical ; their form is nearly rhombic with from three to seven 

 vertical or oblique crests, each of which is armed with three to seven 

 excessively minute spines. Each scale thus resembles a small curry- 

 comb, which makes the skin in every direction rough to the touch. 

 The main trunk of the lateral line resembles that of biaculeatus, but it 

 gives off an additional vertical branch to the middle of the root of the 

 first dorsal spine, a little behind the anterior anastomosing one. The 



