NANDIDJE. 79 



Geographical Distribution. Of the Asiatic genera of Nandidce, 

 some are marine, others freshwater ; their range extends from the 

 lied Sea and east coast of Africa to India, the Malay Archipelago 

 and beyond. 



sis of Indian Genera. 

 First group. PLESIOPINA. 

 Paeudobrftnclliffi present ; ventral with four rays. 

 The first ono or two ventral rays elongate and bifid . 1. PLESIOPS. 



Second group. NANDINA. 

 Pseudobrauchiae absent ; ventral with five rays. 



Preopercle not serrated. Villifonn teeth in jaws and 



palate, but not on tongue 2. BADIS. 



Preopercle serrated. Villifonn teeth in jaws, palate, 



root of tongue, and cavity of mouth 3. NANDUS. 



Preopereles serrated. Villiform teeth in jaws and 

 palate, with globular crowns at root of tongue and 

 roof of cavity of mouth 4. PRISTOLEPIS. 



First group. PLESIOPINA. 



1. Genus PLESIOPS, Cuv. 

 Syn. Pharoptenj.i; Riipp. 



Branchiostegals six ; pseudobranchiae. Body oblong and com- 

 pressed. Mouth moderately protractile. None of the bones of 

 the head serrated. Villifonn teeth on the jaws, vomer, and pala- 

 tines, none on the tongue. Eleven or twelve spines in the dorsal 

 fin, three in the anal; ventral with one spine and four rays, the 

 outer rays elongate and bifid. Lateral line interrupted. Air- 

 bladder present. Pyloric appendages absent. 



Geographical Distribution. Eed Sea, seas of India and Malay 

 Archipelago, and the Pacific. 



824. (1.) Plesiops nigricans. (Fig. 37.) 



Pharopteryx nigricans, Riipp. Ail. p. 15, t. iv, fig. 2. 



Plesiops nigricaus, Dai/, Fish. India, p. 128, pi. xxxi, fig. 5 (see svnon.). 



D. 12/7-8. P. 21. A. 3/8. C. 16. L. 1. 23-28. L. tr. 2|/10. 



Length of head from 3| to 4, height of body 4| in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 4 to 5 in length of head, | to 1 diam. 

 from end of snout, and 1 apart. Teeth outer row in upper jaw 

 usually slightly enlarged. Fins dorsal spines much shorter than 

 rays ; interspinous membrane (which extends beyond tip of each 

 spine) deeply emarginate ; soft portion of fin and also of anal 

 pointed : two outer ventral rays elongate ; third anal spine longest ; 

 caudal pointed. Scales finely ctenoid in last half of body. Colour 



