250 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Family, XIX— SCOMBRID^], Cuv. 



Branchiostegals seven or eight : pseudobranchise. Body oblong or slightly elongated and compressed. 

 Gill-openings wide -. eyes lateral. The infraorbital bones do not articulate with the preopercle. Teeth present 

 in the jaws, absent or present on the palate. Two dorsal fins, the first being distinct from the soft, which 

 has more rays than the first has spines : finlets present or absent : ventrals thoracic (jugular in Hypsiptera) : 

 no prominent papilla near the vent. Side of tail sometimes keeled. Scales, if present, small. Air-vessel 

 present or absent. Pyloric appendages moderate, numerous, or dendritical. Vertebra exceed 10/14. 



SYNOPSIS OF GENERA. 



1. Scomber. Teeth small, present in jaws. Five or six finlets : a low ridge on either side of base of tail. 

 Body equally scaled. Red Sea, through those of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond, also in most 

 temperate and tropical seas. 



2. Thynnus. Teeth small, present in jaws, vomer, and palate. Sis to nine finlets : a central keel along 

 either side of free portion of tail. Scales in the anterior region of the body forming a corselet. Red Sea, 

 through those of India to the Malay Archipelago ; also in most open temperate and tropical seas. 



3. Qybvum. Teeth large in jaws, small on vomer and palate. Seven to ten finlets : a central keel along 

 either side of free portion of tail. Scales when present rudimentary. Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay 

 Archipelago ; also in the Atlantic. 



4. Elacate* No finlets. First dorsal fin as free spines. A low keel along either side of free portion of 

 the tail. Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago ; also in tropical parts of the Atlantic. 



5. Echeneis.f No finlets. First dorsal in the form of a sucking disk on the summit of the head. No 

 keel on side of tail. Found in most seas. 



Genus, 1 — Scombee, Artedi. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobranchim. Body rather elongated and compressed. Eyes with adipose lids. 

 Cleft of mouth deep. Small deciduous teeth on the jaws; deciduous ones present or absent on the vomer, and palatine 

 bones. Two dorsal fins, the first spinous and separated by an interspace from the second, behind which and also 

 posterior to the anal are five or six finlets : less spines in the first dorsal than there are rays in the second dorsal or in 

 the anal : ventrals thoracic. Two slight heels on either side of the root of the caudal fin. Scales small. Air-vessel, 

 vjlien present, simple. Pyloric appendages numerous. 



Although the young of the Gybium, Elacate, &c. are common all along the coasts of India, I have never 

 obtained the fry of any species of Scomber. Sars has observed that the Mackerel deposits its ova in the open 

 sea, where it floats near the surface (see Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1868, ii, p. 390). 



Geographical distribution. — Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond ; also in most 

 temperate and tropical seas. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1. Scomber microlepidotus, D. 10 | T V+ v-vi, A. ^ -\- v-vi. Length of head 3f to 4>\, height of body 4 to 

 4| in the total length. A black spot covered by the pectoral fin in the young, bands along the back and sides 

 in the adult. Red Sea, through those of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



2. Scomber brachysoma, D. 10 | iV + v,.A. xt + v - Length of head 3-|, height of body 3f in the total 

 length. Andamans to the Malay Archipelago. 



' 1. Scomber microlepidotus, Plate LrV, fig. 3 (young), 4 (immature), and 5 (adult). 



Riipp. N. W. Fische, p. 38, t. xi, f . 2 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 105 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 361 ; Kner, Novara 

 Fische, p. 143 ; Steind. Ak. Wiss. Wien, 1868, lvii, p. 987 ; Klunz. Verb. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1871, p. 443. 



Scomber hanagurta, Russell, Fish. Vizag. ii, p. 28, pi. 136 ; Riipp. Atl. Fische, p. 93, and N. W". Fische, 

 p. 37 ; Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 49 ; Cuv. Reg. Anim. ; Bleeker, Makr. p. 35 ; Peters. Weigm. Arch. 1855, p. 245 ; 

 Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 135 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 360 ; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 68 ; Kner, Novara 

 Fische, p. 142 ; Klunz. Verh. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1871, p. 441. 



Scomber chrysozonus, Riipp. N. W. Fische, t. xi, f . 1 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 360. 



Scomber Beani, Day, Proc. Z. S. 1870, p. 690 (adult). 



Karna-kita or Karnang-hullutan, Tarn. : Kanagurta, Tel. : Ila, Mai. : Nga-congree, " Large head," Mugh. : 

 Looh-wa-dah, Andam. 



* A portion of Fam. Lichoidei, Bleeker (see note, page 229). 

 f Forming a distinct Family, Echeneoidei, Bleeker. 



