144 TELEOSTEI. ACANTIIOPTERTGII. 



Mouth compressed so as to become angular. Teeth setiform, 

 movable, their outer third dilated and spoon-shaped, with three 

 deep clefts, making them appear laterally serrated ; about 21 in 

 the upper and 20 in the lower jaw. Fins last dorsal spine 

 shorter than longest ray, and | length of head ; soft portions of 

 dorsal and anal tins rather angular posteriorly. Pectoral nearly as 

 long as head. Caudal deeply lunate. Scales rounded, small, and 

 cycloid on the head, ctenoid on the body, about nine rows between 

 lateral line and base of last dorsal spine. Lancet-shaped spine, 

 with a sharp posterior process. Free portion of tail in its least 

 depth equal to | of length of head. Colour body horizontally 

 lineated with narrow bluish lines on a yellow ground-colour, the 

 latter being somewhat the wider ; numerous dull red spots about 

 the head, more especially around the eyes. Dorsal and anal fins 

 also lineated, and a light vertical band on the middle of the caudal. 

 Hob. Eed Sea, east coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay 

 Archipelago, and beyond. 



903. (12.) Acanthurus xanthums. 



Acantliurus xanthurus, Blyth, Kelaart, Prod. Faun. Zeyl, Append. 

 p. 50; Day, Fish. India, p. 207 (see synon.). 



D. 5/24-25. P. 15. V. 1/5. A. 3/20-21. C. 17. 



Length of head 4|, of pectoral 5, height of body 2| in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 4 in length of head, 2| d'iam. from end of 

 snout, and 1| apart. Teeth in a single row, 10 lobate incisors 

 on either side of upper jaw. Fins last dorsal spine longest, 

 almost equalling length of longest ray, and f of height of body ; 

 dorsal rays nearly half as high as body, the posterior ends of dorsal 

 and anal fins rather angular; third 'anal spine the longest and 

 strongest ; caudal slightly emarginate. Scales on the head very 

 rough, somewhat similar to what is seen in Batistes, those on the 

 body are likewise rough, but in a less degree ; some of these rough- 

 nesses are continued on to the rays of the dorsal and anal fins, 

 and a few between the spines and'rays of the former, but more at 

 the base only of the anal. No posterior process to the lancet- 

 shaped spine, but two or three elevations near its base. Colour 

 blackish, caudal canary-yellow ; head and shoulders reticulated with 

 grey ; end of the pectoral stained with yellow. 



Hal. Eed Sea, East coast of Africa, and Ceylon. Grows to at 

 least 8 inches in length. 



904. (13.) Acanthurus velifer. 



Acanthurus velifer, Block, Ich. t. 427, fig. 1 ; Day, Fish. India, p. 207 

 (see synon.). 



Grumbum, Tarn. 

 13.3-4/28-29. P. 17. V. 1/5. A. 3/22-24. Vert. 9/13. Ctec.pyl.7. 



