86 TELEOSTEI. ACANTIIOPTEEYGII. 



which may be absent, on the contiguous portions of the sub- and 

 interopercles ; two sharp flat spines on the opercle, mostly bifid 

 and the lower the larger. Teeth globular on voiuer, base of 

 tongue, and roof of the cavity of the mouth, at the base of the 

 tongue they extend forward nearly to its anterior extremity. In 

 the young ((7. siamensis), the vomerine teeth are not quite so 

 blunted as they become in the adult. Fins dorsal spines strong, 

 interspinous membrane deeply emarginate, rays in the middle the 

 longest ; second anal spine strongest but not so long as third ; 

 caudal rounded. Lateral line interrupted opposite posterior end 

 of dorsal fin, being continued on the third row of scales below it. 

 Air-bladder large. Scales 16 or 17 rows between bases of the 

 ventral and dorsal. Colour dull greenish, a deep black spot in 

 the axilla and over upper part of base of pectoral, which is 

 yellow ; the other fins slate-coloured. 



Hab. Fresh waters of Burma, Siam, and the Malay Archipelago. 

 Four specimens were procured in Burma varying from 4^ to 8 

 inches in length. 



Family VIII. MALACANTHID.E. 



Branchiostegals from five to six ; pseudobranchiao present. Gill- 

 openings wide, the membranes united beneath the throat; gills 

 four, with a slit behind the fourth. Body elongate and compressed ; 

 lips thick. A posterior canine tooth in the premaxillary. Dorsal 

 and anal fins with many rays, the first few of the former not being 

 articulated. Ventrals thoracic, with one spine and five rays. 

 Scales small and finely ctenoid. Air-bladder simple. Pyloric 

 appendages absent. 



1. Genus MAL ACANTHUS, Cuv. 



Cleft of mouth horizontal, the jaws equal anteriorly. Opercle 

 with a spine, preoperele entire. Eyes lateral. Villiform teeth in 

 the jaws, having an outer band of stronger ones ; palate toothless. 

 A long and continuous dorsal fin, with the first four to six rays 

 unarticulated.. 



Geographical Distribution. Tropical seas. 



831. (l.) Malacanthus lativittatus. (Fig. 41.) 

 Labrus lato-vittatus, Lacep. If. N. Pom. iii, p. 526, pi. xxviii, fig. 2. 

 MalHcanthus lato-vittatus, Dai/, Fish. India, Sttoul. 1888, p. 787 

 (see synon.). 



B. iv-v. D. 4/43-46. P. 17. A. 1/38-40. C. 17. L. 1. 125. 



Length of head 4, of caudal fin 9, height of body 6 to 7 in the 

 total length. Eyes high up, and situated nearly midway between 

 the end of the snout and the posterior extremity of the opercle ; 



