108 TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTEEYGII. 



No barbel. Eyes 1 to 1| diameters apart 2. SCIJENA. 



No barbel. Eyes 2 to 3 diameters apart. Cleft of 



mouth oblique and deep 3. SCI^XOIDES. 



B. Large canine-like teeth in front of jaws. Lower 



jaw longest 4. OTOLITHUS. 



1. Genus UMBEINA, Cuv. 



Syn. Mentidrrhus and Cvrrvmenx, Gill; Scicena (Artedi), Bleeker, 

 1874. 



Pseudobranchiae present. Body oblong. Eyes of moderate 

 size. Interorbital space rather broad and somewhat convex. 

 Snout rounded and overhanging the upper jaw, which is longer 

 than the lower. A central barbel present below the symphysis of 

 the lower jaw. Teeth villiform, with the outer row in the pre- 

 maxillaries enlarged ; no canines. Two dorsal fins, the first with 

 9 or 10 spines and connected at its base to the second, which is 

 of moderate length (24 to 30 rays) ; anal with two spines. 'Scales 

 more or less present on the vertical fins and on that of the tail. 

 Air-bladder present. Pyloric appendages in moderate numbers 

 or few. 



The open pores or orifices of some of the muciferous channels of 

 the head are very distinct. There are three or five in a transverse 

 row across the snout, whilst along the free edge of the skin be- 

 tween the two preorbitals, over the groove for the posterior limb 

 of the premaxillaries, there are five more. The central one is 

 mostly triangular, the largest, and at the upper surface ; whilst 

 along its free edge, sometimes below it, are two more on either 

 side. The existence of a lateral lobe is entirely due to these 

 orifices, and its size is in accordance with their position. On the 

 lower surface of the mandible beneath the symphysis is a single 

 central barbel having a pore at its base ; occasionally it has one in 

 front and another behind it. On either side of its base laterally 

 and rather posteriorly are two more open orifices. 



Geographical Distribution. Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and 

 Atlantic, and some rivers of North and South America. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 

 L. 1. 48. Barbel half as long as the eye. First 



dorsal fin two fifths the height of body .. 1. V.macroptera,-p.l08. 

 L. 1. 44. Barbel quarter as long as the eye. 



First dorsal fin one half height of body . . 2. U. sinuatce, p. 109. 

 L. L 52. Barbel half as long as eye. First dor- 



T i *A\ fin ^ rom , four fif *s to as high as body . 3. U. dussumieri, p. 110. 

 L. L 44. Barbel sometimes nearly as Ion" as 



the eye. First dorsal fin four ninths height 



of bodv 4. U. russellii, p. 110. 



859. (1.) TJmbrina macroptera. 



Umbrina macroptera, Sleeker, Satama Nat. Tijdsch. iv, p. 254 ; Day, 

 Fish. India, p. 182 (see synon.). 



