274 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Family, XXV— COTTIDJE * G'unther. 



Platicephalince (Sub. Fam.) Swainson. 



Branchiostegals five to seven : pseudobranchise. Body oblong, compressed, or subcylindrical. Eyes 

 lateral or partly directed upwards and outwards. Cleft of mouth lateral. Some of the bones of the head 

 armed. Infraorbital bones articulate with the preopercle. Teeth villiform, no canines. Two separate dorsal 

 fins or in two distinct portions, the spinous less developed than the soft or than the anal : ventrals thoracic, 

 sometimes scarcely developed. Air-vessel generally absent. Pyloric appendages few, or in moderate 

 numbers. 



SYNOPSIS OF GENERA. 



1. Platycephalus, as defined. 



GenUS, 1 PLATYCEPHALUS,t Bl. Schn. 



Flat heads, or Crocodile Fishes. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobranchice. Head broad, depressed, and armed with spines. Bower jaw the 

 longer. Eyes lateral or superior. Villiform teeth in the jaws, vomer, and palatines, with larger ones sometimes 

 intermixed. Two dorsal fins, the first having a small isolated spine anterior to it : the soft portion similar to the 

 anal : ventrals thoracic : no pectoral appendage. Scales present, ctenoid, small or rather so. Bateral-line 

 complete, in some species armed with spines. Air-vessel absent. Pyloric appendages in moderate numbers. 



These fishes are termed " Crocodile fishes" in Malabar, and wounds from their spines are dreaded 

 because of the violent irritation they occasion. Immediately on being captured they are knocked on the head. 



Their eyes are peculiar, in that the iris possesses two semicircular flaps, one above, the other below, the 

 upper being usually the larger, they can be brought close one to the other, probably due to the stimulus of light. 



The comparative width of the head to its length differs in individuals, also with age, becoming broader 

 in the adult. In P. insidiator at 5£ and 6| inches the width of the bead between the inner edges of the 

 preopercular spines equals its length behind the eyes ; at 14^ inches it equals that of the head excluding 

 the snout. 



I have captured specimens full of well developed ova as early as February. These fishes are eaten 

 by the lower classes of natives. 



The subdivision of this genus into those having (1) two spines, or those (2) with more than two spines 

 at the angle of the preopercle is open to this objection, some count the small one usually present at the base of 

 the large spine, others consider it as forming the end of the spinate ridge. I have therefore thought it better 

 to follow the division of whether the lateral-line is spined or smooth. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



A. Bateral-line armed with spines. 



1. Platycephalus scaber, D. 1 | 7-8 | 12, A. 12, L. r. 105. Spines 55. Ridges on head spined. Largest 

 preopercular spine if laid forwards would reach 1/2 way to orbit. Brownish. Seas of India to the 

 Malay Archipelago. 



2. Platycephalus tuberculatus, D. 1 | 7-8 | 11-12, A. 11-12, L. 1. 53-55, having 15 to 20 spines in its 

 first third. Ridges on head spined or serrated. Largest preopercular spine if laid forwards would reach 

 1/2 way to orbit. Brownish, with vertical bands. Seas of India. 



* This family is not identical with the sub-Family Cottini of Dr. Sauvage (N. Arch. Mus. 1873, see p. 148 ante) who has 

 divided the Family Triglides into the following groups : 



I. Scorpjenid^e. Dentition feeble, teeth villiform without canines. Infraorbital bones articulated moveably with the 

 preopercle, never entirely covering the cheeks. Nasal bones small and free. Skin scaleless or scaled, sometimes spiny, 

 never cuirassed. Ventrals thoracic, supported by a long pelvic bone, the two bones being in contact and fused together. 

 a. Scorpceni : — as Sebastes, Scorpwna, Pterois, Tmnianotus, and group of Apistes. 



i. Cottini :— as Hemitripterus, Synancidium, Synanceia, Minous, Pelor, group of Cottes, Icelus, Triglops, Pohjcaulus, 

 Hemilepidotus. 

 II. PLATTCEPHALioiE. Head flattened and as if crushed. Body anteriorly depressed. Dentition feeble, no canines. Two 

 dorsals : ventrals thoracic and widely separated. Pelvic bones wide asunder. 

 a. Platycephalus. 

 III. Teiglid^;. Infraorbital bones articulated in an almost immoveable manner with the preopercle and covering the entire 

 cheek. Nasals soldered into a great plate and almost covering the snout. Ventrals thoracic and in contact. 

 a. Triglini: — (1) body covered with ordinary scales, as Trigla, Lepidotrigla, Prianotus, Bembras. 



(2) body having scales and plates, as Hoplichthys. 

 o. Cataphracti : — (1) an interparietal, as Dactylopterus, Cephalacanthus. 



(2) no interparietal, as Agonus, Agonomalur, Peristhedion. 

 t Ulu parti, Tarn. 



