54 TELEOSTEI. ACAXTHOPTEIIYGII. 



1. Genus SEBASTICHTHYS, Gill. 



Branchi ostegals six ; pseuclobranchise. Head and body some- 

 what compressed. No groove on the occiput, usually a few small 

 spines ; preopercle armed. Villiform teeth on the jaws and vomer, 

 but none on the palatines. Fins not elongate; a single dorsal, the 

 spinous portion more or less separated from the soft by a notch, 

 spines 12 to 14 ; anal not elongate, with 3 spines ; no free rays 

 to the pectoral fin. Articulated fin-rays branched. Scales present, 

 and of moderate or small size, extending as far forwards as the 

 orbit or even beyond ; no skin appendages. Air-bladder, as a rule, 

 present. Pyloric appendages fe\v or in moderate numbers. 



794. (1.) Sebastichthys strongia. 



Scorpaena strongise. Cuv. $ Vol. H. N. Poiss. iv, p. 323. 

 Sebastichthys strougia, Day, Fish. India, p. 148 (see synon.). 



D. 11-12 | 1/9. P. 19. A. 3/5. C. 15. L. 1. 45. L. tr. 5/10. 



Length of bead 3, height of body more than 3 in the total length. 

 Eyes diameter a little less than 3 in length of head, | diam. 

 from, end of snout, ^ apart. Supraorbital ridge spinose; two 

 spinose lines given off from the orbit, one towards the occiput, the 

 other towards the lateral line. A sharp spine on nostril. Eidgo 

 below orbit to angle of preopercle also spiny, and two more strong 

 spines on lower margin of preopercle. Three strong spines on 

 preorbital and a very strong one at shoulder. Two tentacles above 

 the orbit and several more about the head. Fins the lower 8 

 rays of the pectoral with free extremities. Dorsal spines strong, 

 increasing in length to the 9th ; second dorsal rather lower than 

 first ; second anal spine longest and strongest ; caudal rounded. 

 Lateral line in single tubes, with here and there tentacles. 

 Cohur brownish, banded darker, the first band passing downwards 

 through the eye ; a large brown spot on opercle ; fins irregularly 

 banded in dotted lines. 



Hob. Ceylon, Andamans, Malay Archipelago. 



2. Genus SCOKPJENA, Artedi. 

 Syn. Neosebastes, Guichenot; Pseudomonopterus. Bleeker. 



Branchiostegals seven; pseudobrauchise. Head large, with a 

 scaleless groove on the occiput, armed with spines and usually with 

 skinny flaps. Yilliform teeth on the jaws, vomer, and palatines. A 

 single dorsal fin deeply notched, with 12 spines ; anal with 3 spines, 

 not elongate; pectoral large, without free rays. Air-bladder 

 absent. Pyloric appendages few. 



Geographical Distribution. Tropical seas ; also in the Mediterranean 

 and on the Atlantic coasts of America. 



