12 g TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTEEYGII. 



flap crenulated. Teeth-* long strong canine on either s ide of the 

 svmphysis of the lower jaw, and also on either side of the upper just 

 external to those in the mandibles, ^dorsal spines weak 

 with filamentous terminations; they increase m length to about 

 the fifth, which equals | height of body and is a third higher than 

 the rays! Ventral reaches about $ of distance to anal. Second 

 anal spine weak, \ the height of first ray, and \ of that of body ; 

 length of base of anal fin equals \ of that ot soft dorsal. Caudal 

 wedge-shaped or rounded, Sca^-cycloid, and in very irregular 

 rows. Air-bladder with about 54 lateral appendages on either 

 side Colour greyish in the upper part of the body, golden below ; 



Fig. 51. Otolithus maeulatus. 



five or six rows of black spots along the body and caudal fin ; the 

 other fins stained with grey at their edges. 



llab. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago ; attaining at least 

 16 inches in length ; very common in the sea and estuaries of Orissa 

 and Lower Bengal. 



884. (2.) Otolithus ruber. 



Johnius ruber, Bl. Schn. Syst. Ich. p. 75, t. xvii. 

 Otolithus ruber, Day, Fish. India, p. 196 (see synon.). 

 Fga pootheng, Arracan ; Popa, Chittagong. 



D.10 1 1/29-31. A.l-2/7. L.r. 60-65/52-54/54. L.tr.7/17. C. p.4-5. 

 Length of head 3 to 4, height of body 4 to 5 in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 4 to 5 or even 6 in length of bead, nearly 

 1 (iiani. from end of snout, and 1| apart. Greatest width of head 

 equals -| of its length. Preopercle scarcely denticulated ; two 

 opercular spines. Shoulder-flap entire. Distance between eye 

 and upper jaw is f diameter of eye. Teeth on either side of the 

 symphysis of the upper jaw a pair of large canines, an inner villif orm 

 band, and a row of outer teeth conically curved occasionally even 

 between the canines ; in the lower jaw a central (sometimes a second) 

 curved canine with a few villiform teeth behind it, and a lateral 

 row of distantly placed conical teeth. Fins dorsal spines slender, 

 second and third 5 to -| the height of body, and from | to |- higher 

 than the rays. The ventral does not reach quite halfway to the 

 vent. First anal spine minute or wanting, the length of the second 

 about f of the first ray, base of anal fin about ^ of soft, dorsal. 



