FAMILY, XVI— CARAXGID2E. 235 



tlie maxilla reaches to below the front edge or first third of the eye. Angle of preopercle rounded and finely 

 serrated. Greatest depth of preorbital equals 1/3 of the diameter of the eye. Teeth — villiform and in numerous 

 rows in both jaws, present on vomer, palate, and tongue. Fins — dorsal spines nearly concealed, anterior rays 

 elevated anteriorly. Pectoral 2/3 as long as the head. Ventrals placed close together like two spines, the rays 

 being minute. Anal of the same form as the dorsal, its anterior portion as high as the head is long. Caudal 

 rather dee|)ly emarginate. Scales — about 120 rows descend to the lateral-line. Lateral-line — forms a long arch 

 becoming straight on free portion of the tail. Colours — silvery, soft dorsal and anal tinged with black. 



Habitat. — Red Sea, seas of India and beyond : attaining at least 9 inches in length. The specimen 

 figured (from Madras) is 6| inches in length. 



2. Psettus argenteus, Plate LI, B. fig. 5. 



Chcetodon argenteus, Linn. Amasn. Acad, iv, p. 249 ; Bl. Schn. p. 230. 



Scomber rliombeus, Forsk. p. 58 ; Shaw, Zool. iv, p. 595. 



Centrogaster rliombeus, Gmel. Linn. p. 1338. 



Acanthopod.us argenteus, Lacep. iv, pp. 558, 559. 



Centropodus rliombeus, Lacep. iii, pp. 303, 304. 



Zeus kanki-sandaiva, Russell, Fish. Vizag. i, p. 47, pi. 59. 



Psettus rliombeus, Cuv. and Val. vii, p. 245 ; Cuv. Reg. Anim. 111. Poiss. pi. xlii, f. 2 ; Bleeker, Chsetod. 

 p. 29 ; Peters, Wieg. Arch. 1855, p. 247. 



Monodactylus rliombeus, Griffith in Cuv. An. King. Fishes, pi. 55, f. 2 ; Swainson, Fishes, ii, p. 212 ; 

 Cantor, Catal. p. 172. 



Psettus argenteus, Richards. Voy. Erebus and Terror, Fishes, p. 57, pi. 35, f. 1-3 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, 

 p. 487 ; Day, Fishes of Malabar, p. 99 ; Kner, Novara Fische, p. 164 ; Klunz. Verh. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1871, 

 p. 794. 



Monodactylus argenteus, Bleeker, Fish. Madagascar, p. 65. 



Nga-pus-soond, Mugh. ; Oo-chra-dah, Andam. 



B vi D 8 P 17 V - 1 - A s C 17 L 1 J - - 5 



±J. VI, XJ. 2S-30'" 1 -* "*-'> *' 2-3' ■ a ~ 2S-301 ^* x * 1 - LJ ' x * 75 ' 



Length of head one-fourth to 4J-, of caudal 4-L, height of body 1| in the total length. Eyes — diameter 

 2|- in length of head, 1/3 of a diameter from end of snout, and 1 apart. Cleft of mouth oblique, lower jaw the 

 longer, the maxilla reaches to below the front edge of the eye. Angle of preopercle rather angular and finelv 

 serrated. Greatest depth of preorbital equals 2/7 of the diameter of the eye. Teeth — villiform and in numerous 

 rows in both jaws : present on vomer, palatines, and tongue. Fins — anterior dorsal rays elevated, equalling 1/5 

 more than those of the anal. Pectoral as long as the head excluding the snout. Ventrals placed close together 

 like two spines, the rays being minute. Anterior anal rays as long as the head. Caudal emarginate. Lateral-line — 

 makes a long, low curve, becoming straight nearly below the last fourth of the dorsal fin. Colours — silvery with 

 purplish reflections, especially about the anal fin : the back is of a yellowish green, which after death rapidlv 

 assumes a leaden hue. One rather wide black band passes directly downwards from the nape to the centre oi 

 the eye ; a second from opposite the three first dorsal spines goes as far as the opercle. Some of the dorsal is 

 stained with black, as is also the anterior portion of the anal though to a less extent. Pectoral and ventral 

 colourless : caudal yellow, with a narrow black posterior edge. 



Habitat. — Red Sea, East coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond : it attains 

 at least seven inches in length. Most common in Malabar during the monsoon months. The specimen figured 

 (life-size) is from Madras. 



Genus, 9— Platax, Cuv. and Val. 



Branchiostegals six : pseudobranchim. Body compressed and much elevated. Eyes lateral. Cleft of mouth 

 small : snout short. Teeth setiform, trilobed at their summits, some also present on the vomer. A single dorsal fin 

 with from three to seven spines, which are nearly hidden : anal with three continuous with the rest of the fin: ventrals 

 well developed. Scales ctenoid, of moderate or small size, extended on to the vertical fins. Lateral-line unarmed. 

 Air-vessel simple. Pyloric appendages few. 



These fishes appear to alter considerably with age, their anterior profile becoming more obtuse and their 

 fins comparatively shorter. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1. Platax teira, D. 3^3-3, A. ^^y, L. 1. 60-65. Snout obtuse, profile from snout to above eyes vertical. 

 Young with an ocular band as wide as the eye, a second from dorsal spines to between ventral and anal fins : a 

 broad one covers the last half of the back and sides. Seas of India to Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



2. Platax vespertilio, D. a-s-i^y, A. -^-^-^, L. 1. 55. Snout not quite vertical. Young with a narrow 

 ocular band 1/3 as wide as eye : a second from dorsal spines to just before anal : another at commencement of 

 free portion of tail. Red Sea, East coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



1. Platax teira, Plate LI, B. fig. 4. 



Chcetodon teira, Forsk. p. 60, t. 22 ; Bl. t. 199, f. 1 ; Gmel. Linn. p. 1265 ; Bl. Schn. p. 221 ; Shaw, Zool. 

 iv, p. 345, pi. 48. 



2 h 2 



