66 TELEOSTEI. ACANTIIOPTERYGII. 



pectoral without any free rays at its base; articulated fiu-rays 

 branched. Scales rudimentary or absent. 

 Geographical Distribution. Indian Ocean. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



Nearly black 1. G. niyer, p. 66. 



Greyish brown, with a black blotch on the dorsal 



fin 2. G. dmccena, p. 07. 



809. (1.) Gymnapistus niger. (Fig. 26.) 



Apistus niger, Cuv. $ Vul. H. N. Poiss. iv, p. 415. 

 Gymnapistus niger, Day, Fish. India, p. 150, pi. xxxvii, fig. 5 (see 

 synon.). 



Pom-tho-cho-royue-dah, Andam. 



B. vi. D. 3 | 9-10/8. P. 10. V. 1/5. A. 3/7. C. 9. 



Length of head 3^, height of body 3 in the total length. Eyes 

 diameter 4 in length of head, 1 diam. from end of snout, and | 

 apart. Interorbital space slightly concave. Fins first dorsal 

 commences over hind third of orbit, interspinous membrane of the 

 t\vo fins continuous, the second spine is two thirds as kigh as the 

 body ; there is a short iuterspace between the two fins ; the rayed 

 portion is of equal height with the second part of the spinous ; a 

 membranous prolongation goes from the end of tho fin nearly to the 



Fig. 2fi. Gymnapixt 'tis i/it/er. 



base of the caudal ; third anal spine longer but weaker than the 

 second ; caudal cut square. Scales absent except in the form of 

 roughnesses here and there in the skin. Colour brownish black ; 

 caudal yellowish white, striated with brown and having a dark baud 

 in its last fourth and a white external edge. 



Hab. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago ; very numerous 

 at the Andamans. The natives assert that wounds from the spines 

 are exceedingly venomous. 



