184 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



side. Colotirs —gray, becoming silvery-white on the abdomen : a steel-blue opercular spot : upper two-tlurds 

 of first dorsal nearly black : other fins yellow. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, attaining at least 10 inches in length. 



Genus, 2 — Sclena, (Artedi) Guv. 



Johnius, Bloch: Gorvina and Stellifer, Cuv. : JBola, sp. Ham. Buch. : Leiostomus, Cuv. and Val. : 

 Goracinas, Pall. : Homoprion, Holb. : Amblyodon, (Raf.) Gir. : Gheilotrema, v. Tsch. : Geuyonemus, Plagioscion, 

 Scicenops, Bairdiella, PLaploinodotus, Bhinoscion and Ophioscion, Gill : Biplolepis, Steind. : Pseudosciaena, Bleeker. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobranchice. Body oblong, rather elongated, and compressed. Byes of moderate 

 size. Interorbital space rather broad and slightly convex. Snout rounded, sometimes overhanging the upper jaw, 

 which last is longer than the lower, or both are of equal length.* No central barbel below the symphysis of the lower 

 jaw. Teeth villiform, with an outer enlarged row in the premaxillaries, and sometimes the inner row in the mandibles 

 enlarged. No distinct canines. Two dorsal fins, the first with 9-10 spines, and connected at its base to the second 

 which is of moderate length (23-32 rays). Anal with one or two spines. Scales ctenoid or cycloid, extending over the 

 head and snout, and generally more or less present on the vertical fins and cm that of the tail. Air-vessel present.f 

 Pyloric appendages in moderate mmibers or few. 



Pores or the orifices of muciferous canals are found in most of the species of this genus, identically as 

 described in Umbrina. But a few, evidently approaching towards Otolithus, have some or all absent from 

 both jaws. 



In one species, Scicena albida, a small, though distinct barbel, is present at the anterior of the lateral open 

 pores on the lower jaw. Whether very great stress ought to be laid upon whether the scales are ctenoid or 

 cycloid appears open to doubt. (See S. carutta, S. glaums.) 



This genus has been subdivided by Bleeker into the following : 1. Pseudoscicena, in which the inner 

 row of teeth in the lower jaw is distinctly larger than those external to it : 2. Johnius, destitute of any enlarged 

 row of teeth in the lower jaw. 



SYNOPSIS OP SPECIES. 



A. An enlarged inner row of teeth in the lower jaw. (Pseudosciaina.) 



1. Scimna Bleelceri, D. 10 | -£f, A. f, L. 1. 60, L. tr. 11/18. Eyes, diameter 1/5 of length of head. 

 Second anal spine weak, l-i- diameters of the orbit in length. Gray, with a dark axillaiy spot. First dorsal 

 gray, fins edged with gray. Bombay. 



2. Scimna miles, D. 9-10 | 2-5-3-0, A. f, L. 1. 50, L. tr. 8/16. Eyes, diameter 2/9 to 1/5 of length of head. 

 Second anal spine very strong and half the length of the head. Silvery, outer edges of vertical fins sometimes 

 gray. Seas of India. 



3. Scicena Vogleri, D. 10 | r ^. Tr , A. f, L. 1. 50, L. tr. 6/14. Eyes diameter 2/9 to 3/14 of length of 

 head. Second anal spine weak, as long as the eye. Silvery, first dorsal dark. Seas of India to the Malay 

 Archipelago. 



4. Scicena sina, D. 10 | yf-Vs-i -&-. f, L. 1. 52. Eyes, diameter 1/4 of length of head. Second anal spine 

 weak, 2/7 of length of head. Seas of India. 



5. Scixna cuja, D. 10 ] -j-yia-g-, A. -f, L. 1. 50. Eyes, diameter 1/5 of length of head. Second anal spine 

 very strong, as long as the head behind the middle of the eyes. Oblique dark streaks above the lateral-line 

 and horizontal ones below it. Estuaries of Ganges and Siam. 



6. Sciama coitor, D. 10 | -si-^-g-, A. -f-, L. 1. 55. Eyes, diameter from 1/4 to 2/11 of length of head. 

 Second anal spine strong, and as long as the postorbital portion of the head. Silvery. Large rivers of India 

 and Burmah. 



7. Scicena axillaris, D. 10 | yb-twi - a - h L. 1. 50, L. tr. 6-7/14. Eyes, diameter 1/4 of length of head. 

 Second anal spine strong, 2J in the length of the head. Silvery, upper two-thirds of first dorsal black, a dark 

 axillary spot. Seas of India. 



8. Sciama albida, D. 9-10 | ^ Vf> A. f , L. 1. 52, L. tr. 7/18. Eyes, diameter 1/4 to 1/7 of length of head. 

 Second anal spine strong, half as long as the head. Silvery, a diffused opercular blotch. Seas of India. 



9. Scicena diacanthus, D. 10 | -^h^t -A- f» L. 1. 52, L. tr. 7/18. Eyes, diameter 2/9 to 1/6 of length of 

 head. Second anal spine 2f in the length of the head. Brownish-gray superiorly, silvery below. Upper half 

 of body, dorsal, and caudal fins spotted in the immature. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



10. Sciwna aneus, D. 10 | a-j-l^j-, A. f-, L. 1. 50, L. tr. 8-9/18. Eyes, diameter 1/4 to 4j in the length of 

 head. Lower jaw the longer. Second anal spine weak, from 3/4 to 1 diameter of the orbit in length. Silvery, 

 first dorsal gray. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



11. Scicena m.aculata, D. 10 | - s -s-- s ^, A. f, L. 1. 45-48, L. tr. 8/16. Eyes, diameter 4j to 1/5 of length of 

 head. Second anal spine 1/3 the length of head. Silvery, with five broad black bands, sometimes interrupted. 

 Seas of India. 



B. No enlarged inner row of teeth in the lower jaw. (Johnius.) 



12. Scicena Belengeri, D. 9 | -ay-"^ -A- f> ^ '■ 52, L. tr. 6/14. Eyes, diameter 3£ to 3| of length of head. 

 Second anal spine 2j in length of head. Slate-coloured, with the vertical fins nearly black. Seas of India to 

 the Malay Archipelago. 



* Scicena aneus, Bloch, is an exception, forming a transitional state to genus Otolithus not only in this respect, but in the 

 pores on the snout, and below the symphysis of the mandibles. 

 ■]" Stated to be absent in some American species. 



