FAMILY, V-SPARLTLE. 143 



with three. Scales of moderate size, fine ones over the soft portions of the vertical fins. Air-vessel dwided posteriorly 

 into two long processes, sometimes notched anteriorly. Pyloric appendages few or very numerous. 



Geographical distribution. — Red Sea, those of Africa, India, Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1. Pimelepterus fuscus, D. -rfly^-, A. ^-, L. r. ff- Fifth to seventh dorsal spines one-third to one-half 

 higher than the rays. Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



2. Pimelepterus cinerascens, D. -fi-, A. ^ L. r. ||^g . Fourth and fifth dorsal spines nearly as high as 

 the rays. Red Sea, East coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



1. Pimelepterus fuscus. 



Xyster fuscus, (Comm.) Lacep. pp. 484, 485. 



Pimelepterus fuscus, Cuv. and Val. vii, p. 264 ; Riipp. N. W. Fische, p. 34, t. 10, f. 3 ; Giinther, Catal. i, 

 p. 498 ; Klnnz. Verh. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1870, p. 796. 



? Pimelepterus Waigiensis, Quoy and G-aim. Voy. Frev. Zool. p. 386, pi. 62, f. 4 ; Giinther, Catal. i, 

 p. 498. 



? Pimelepterus marciac, Cnv. and Val. vii, p. 267 ; Riipp. 1. c. p. 35 ; Bleeker, Waigiou, p. 3. 



Pimelopterus fuscus, Klunz. Verh. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1870, p. 796. 



B. vii, D. ri-TS-Ti, p - 18. V. 1/5, A. -fy, C. 17, L. 1. 60, L. r. f|, L. tr. 10/23, Case. pyl. numerous. 



Length of head 1/5, of caudal 1/5, height of body 1/3 of the total length. Eyes — diameter 1/4 of length 

 of head, rather above 1 diameter from the end of snout, and 1| apart. Body oblong, compressed, and with a 

 swelling opposite the front of the orbit. The maxilla reaches to nearly below the front edge of the orbit. 

 Preopercle with its angle serrated. Sub- and inter-opercles entire : preorbital very finely serrated. Teeth — in a 

 single compressed row, their horizontal portions being rather longer than their vertical : minute teeth on the 

 vomer and palate. Fins — dorsal spines of moderate strength, increasing in length to the fifth, sixth, and 

 seventh, which are 1/3 to one-half higher than the longest ray : pectoral slightly longer than the ventral, which 

 equals the length of the head behind the middle of the eye : anal spines of moderate strength, the third much 

 the longest and equal to half the length of the first ray : caudal emarginate. Scales — over vertical fins, 21 rows 

 between the ventral fin and the lateral-line, and 11 or 12 between it and the base of the sixth dorsal spine. 

 Colours — grey, darkest along the back and at the edges of the scales. A silvery band under the eyes. 



The difference between the cinerascens and fuscus is chiefly to be found in the larger number of scales, the 

 greater comparative height of the soft dorsal and anal fins in the latter to what exists in the former, and the 

 size of the pectoral and ventral fins, as well as that of the eye. This may however be only a sexual difference, 

 and the various species merely varieties. Kliinzinger places P. marciac=Waigiensis, CV. as synonyms to 

 P. tahmel=cinerascens, Forsk. 



Habitat. — Red Sea, throughout those of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond ; attaining upwards 

 of 2 feet in length. 



2. Pimelepterus cinerascens, Plate XXXV, fig. 3. 



Scicena cinerascens, Forsk. No. 66, p. 53. 



Pimelepterus altipinnis, Cuv. and Val. vii, p. 270 ; Bleeker, Banka, ii, p. 727. 



Pimelepterus tahmel,* Riipp. N. W. Fische, p. 35, t. 10, fig. 4 ; Giinther, Catal. i, p. 499 ; Bleeker, 

 Solor, p. 5. 



? Pimelepterus Dussumieri, Cuv. and Val. vii, p. 274. 

 Pimelopterus tahmel, Klunz. Verh. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1870, p. 795. 

 Thendala, Tarn. 



B. vii, D. H, P. 18, V. 1/5, A. -i C. 17, L. 1. 60, L. r. ff:|a L. tr. 10/21, Cfec. pyl. numerous, short. 



Length of head 2/9, of caudal 2/11, height of body nearly or quite 1/3 of the total length. Eyes — diameter 

 2/7 of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, and lj- apart. Body oblong, compressed, with a slight 

 swelling opposite the front of the orbit. The maxilla reaches to below the front edge of the orbit. Preopercle 

 with its angle serrated, sub- and inter-opercles entire : preorbital finely serrated. Teeth — in a single compressed 

 row, their horizontal portions being about one-third longer than their vertical, minute ones on vomer and palate. 

 Fins — dorsal 'Opines of moderate strength, increasing in length to the fourth and fifth which are nearly as high as 

 the middle rays, which are the highest in the fin, the whole being enveloped in scales : pectoral of the same length 

 as the ventral and equal to the head excluding the snout : anal spines of moderate strength, the third slightlv 

 the longest but only half or two-fifths of the height of the anterior portion of the soft anal, which is scaled as is 

 also the soft dorsal : caudal emarginate. Air-vessel — divided posteriorly, one portion passing along either side of 

 the caudal vertebrae to above the hind end of the caudal fin : anteriorly it is not divided. Scales — 19 rows between 

 the ventral fin and lateral-line, and 9 between the latter and the base of the sixth dorsal spine. Colours — 

 silvery-grey, with a dark band between each row of scales : a silvery band under the eye : fins nearly black. 



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



* Tahmel is the Arabic name of this fish according to Forskal, whilst cinerascens is the specific term he applied to the species. 



