38 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Diacope argentimaculata, Cuv. and Val. ii, p. 432 ; Riipp. Atl. Fischo, p. 71, t. 10, f. 1 ; Klunz. Verb. z. 

 b. Ges. in Wien. 1870, p. 699. 



Mesoprion rangus, Cuv. and Val. ii, p. 482 ; Day, Fishes of Malabar, p. 10 ; Kner. Novara Fische, p. 34. 



Mesoprion geinbra, Cuv. and Val. ii, p. 485; Cantor, Catal. p. 15; Giinther, Catal. i, p. 193; Bleeker, 

 Sumatra, iv, p. 246. ' • 



Mesoprion toeniops, Cuv. and Val. vi, p. 543. 



Mesoprion immaculatus, Bleeker, Perc. p. 45 (not C.V.) 



Mesoprion argentimaculatus, Giinther, Catal. i, p. 192. 



Imtjanus sambra, Bleeker, Ceram. ii, p. 187. 



Lutjanus argentimaculatus, Bleeker, Lutjani, p. 84. 



Mesoprion sambra, Peters, Monats. Ak. Wiss. Berlin, 1865, p. 111. 



Eangoo, Tel. : To-go-re-dah, Andain. 



B. vii, D. JL P. 16, V 1/5, A. |, C. 17, L. 1. 45-50, L. r. f£ff, L. tr. 7-8/16, Ca3c. pyl. 4. 



Length of head 3\ to 2/7, of caudal 1/6 to 2/11, height of body 1/3 to 2/7 of the total length. .Eyes- 

 diameter 1/3 to 1/5 of the length of head, 1 to 1J diameter from end of snout, and 2/3 to 1 diameter apart. 

 The distance from the eye to the upper edge of the maxilla, equals from a little more to a little less than one 

 diameter of the orbit in height. The maxilla reaches to below the first third or middle of the eye. Vertical 

 limb of preopercle 'with a very shallow emargination, a rounded angle, and an oblique lower limb, the vertical 

 border very finely serrated, most coarsely so at its angle and especially along its lower limb. A slight swelling 

 on the interopercle. Opercle with two blunt points. Teeth — large canines in the premaxillaries ; an outer row 

 of canine-like ones in either jaw, those in the mandible being much the largest. Villiform teeth in a lanceolate 

 or A-form, which sometimes has a central posterior projection, also in a band on the palate, and in the adult, a 

 large scabrous patch along the centre of the tongue with small ones anterior to it : in the very young the tongue 

 may be found destitute of teeth. Fins — dorsal spines not very strong, increasing in length to the third, fourth, 

 and fifth, which are from one-third to two-fifths of the height of the body, from thence they decrease to the 

 last which is two-thirds their height : soft portion of the fin rather angular, its longest ray equalling three-fourths 

 of the length of its base. Pectoral nearly as long as the head, and reaching to a"bove the anal spines : ventral 

 nearly reaches the vent. Second anal spine the strongest and about equal in length to the third or nearly to the 

 sixth of the dorsal : its soft portion angular, one fourth longer than its entire base : caudal emarginate, in some 

 specimens rather deeply lunated. Scales — in horizontal rows above the lateral-line, in some specimens (especially 

 young) they are a little sinuous but do not become regularly oblique until under the soft portion of the fin : 

 below the lateral-line they are horizontal. Colours — cherry-red, darkest at the bases of the scales. The front 

 edge of the anal fin pinkish- white as is also the first ventral ray. Upper margin of spinous dorsal orange. In 

 some specimens there are dark spots on the dorsal, caudal, and anal fins. The very young have from six to nine 

 narrow, vertical, silvery-white bands, which become more or less lost as age increases. 



This species more especially differs from L. roseus by the latter having a rounded caudal fin, and from 

 L. siUaoo in. the latter having a higher spinous dorsal, and the rows of scales above the lateral-line being 

 oblique in their direction. It appears questionable however whether the last is not merely a variety. 



Habitat. — From the Red Sea and East coast of Africa, through the seas of India to the Malay Archipelago 

 and beyond. It attains upwards of two feet in length and is good eating. 



13. Lutianiis roseus, Plate XI, fig. 6. 

 Mesoprion rangus, Cantor, Catal. p. 14 (not C. V.) 

 B. vii, D. if, P. 16, V. 1/5, A. |, C. 17, L. 1. 48, L. r. fi L. tr. 7/18. 



Length of head 2/7, of caudal 1/7, height of body 4/13 of the total length. Eyes — diameter 2/9 to 1/4 

 of length of head, lj diameter from end of snout, and 1 apart. Height of preorbital equals three-fourths of 

 the length of the eye. The maxilla reaches to below the first third of the orbit. Vertical limb of preopercle 

 emarginate, and having an oblique lower limb, the whole being finely serrated, but most coarsely at its angle 

 and along the lower limb. No tuberosity on the interopercle : sub- and inter-opercles entire : opercle with two 

 obtuse points. Teeth — one or two rather large and curved canines on either side of the premaxillaries : an 

 outer row of slightly curved canine-like teeth in both . jaws, largest in the lower : a triangular patch of 

 villiform ones on the vomer, without any posterior prolongation, a very narrow band on the palate, and an 

 elongated band of minute ones on the tongue. Fins — dorsal spines moderately strong, the fourth the highest, and 

 equal to the length of the postorbital portion of the head ; from it they decrease to the last, which is three- 

 fourths as high as the second, the soft portion of the fin rather rounded, as high as four-fifths of the length of 

 its base and equal to the fourth spine. Pectoral as long as the head behind the posterior nostril : ventral 

 reaching nearly two-thirds of the distance to the anal : second anal spine stronger and rather longer than the 

 third and equal to the length of the sixth of the dorsal fin, soft portion of the fin one-fifth higher than that of 

 the dorsal : caudal rounded. Scales — =in horizontal rows below the lateral-line, and also above it so far as to 

 below the middle of the dorsal spines, where they commence going obliquely to the base of the soft dorsal, but 

 becoming horizontal beyond the base of that fin : 15 rows between the occiput and base of the first dorsal 

 spine. Colours — dark reddish-brown, becoming dull cherry-red below the lateral-line : fins with dark edges. 



This fish is so like the L. argentimaculatus, that had I not seen many specimens, I should have hesitated 



