SCORP^SIDJE. 75 



but not on the palatines. The soft dorsal continuous with the 

 spinous, fewer rays than spines ; anal 3/5 ; no pectoral appen- 

 dages. Scales absent ; body and sometimes the head with skinny 

 flaps. Air-bladder small. Pyloric appendages few. 



820. (1.) Synancidium horridum. (Fig. 33.) 



Scorp^ena horrida, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 453. 



Synancidium horridum, Day, Fish. India, p. 162, pi. xxxix, fig. 3. 



D. 12-13/6-7. P. 16. V. 1/5. C. 12. CSDC. pyl. 3. Vert. 10/14. 



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

 diameter 8 in length of head, 3 diarn. from end of snout. Crown 

 of head irregularly saddle-shaped ; a deep groove on the cheeks, 

 orbit raised. Fins dorsal spines stiff, the first three the highest 

 and somewhat separated from the others ; vertical tins more or 



Fig. 33. Synancidium horridum. 



less enclosed in skin. Articulated fin-rays branched. Skin with 

 numerous large and small tubercles even on the fins ; some large 

 fringed tubercles along lower edge of preopercle and preorbital. 

 Colour brownish fawn above, lighter below ; irregular blotches on 

 the body, and smaller ones on the fins. 



Hub. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



15. Genus SYNANCEIA, Bl. Schn. 

 Syn. Synanceichthys, Bleeker. 



Branchiostegals seven. Head monstrous, irregularly shaped 

 but spineless ; no saddle-shaped fossa across the occiput ; no trans- 

 verse elevation between the orbits, nor deep groove below the 

 eyes. Yilliform teeth on the jaws; vomer and palatine bones 

 edentulous. The soft dorsal continuous with the spinous, fewer 

 rays than spines ; anal 3/5, no pectoral appendages. Air-bladder 

 present. Scales absent. Pyloric appendages few. 



