ISO TELEOSTEI. ACASTTHOPTERYGII. 



8. Genus PSETTUS (Comm.), Cuv. & Val. 



Syn. Monodactylus, Lacep. 



Branchiostegals six; pseudobranchise. Body much compressed 

 and elevated. Eyes lateral. Cleft of mouth small, snout short. 

 Teeth villiform on jaws, vomer, palatine bones, and tongue. A 

 single dorsal fin with seven or eight spines j anal with three, con- 

 tinuous with the rest of the fin ; ventrals rudimentary. Scales 

 small, covering the vertical fins. Lateral line unarmed. Air- 

 bladder present, bifurcated posteriorly. Csecal appendages 

 numerous. 



Geographical Distribution. Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans, 

 within the tropics. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



Height of body ^ to | total length. No bands. 1. P.fakiformis> p. 180. 

 Height of body total length. A black ocular 



band and a second just behind head 2. P. argenteus, p. 180. 



946. (1.) Psettns falciformis. 



Monodactylus falciformis, Lacep. H. N. Poiss. iii. pp. 131, 132. 

 Psettus falciformis, Day, Fish. India, p. 234, pi. h A, fig. 6 (see 



synon.) . 



Purrandee, Mai. 



D. 8/28-30. P. 16. V. 1/3-5. A. 3/29. C. 17. L. 1. 100. 

 Length of head 4 to 4, height of body 2 to 2 in the total length. 

 Eyes diameter 2| in length of head, | diam. from end of snout, 

 and 1 apart. Cleft of mouth oblique. Angle of preopercle rounded 

 and finely serrated. Fins dorsal spines nearly concealed, anterior 

 rays elongate. Pectoral as long as head. Ventrals placed close 

 together like two spines, the rays being minute. Anal of the same 

 form as the dorsal, its anterior portion as high as the head is long. 

 Caudal rather deeply emarginate. Scales about 120 rows descend 

 to the lateral line. Lateral line forms a long arch, becoming 

 straight on free portion of the tail. Colour silvery, soft dorsal 

 and anal tinged with black. 



Hob. Eed Sea, seas of India and beyond; attaining at least 

 9 inches in length. 



947. (2.) Psettns argenteus. (Fig. 62.) 



Chsetodon argenteus, Linn. Syst. Nat. p. 461. 



Psettus argenteus, Day, Fish. India, p. 235, pi. li B, fig. 5 (see synon.). 

 Nga-pus-soond, Mugh. ; Oo-chra-dah, Andam. 



D. 8/28-30. P. 17. \. 1/2-3. A. 3/28-30. C. 17. L. r. 105/75. 

 Length of head 4 to 4$, height of body 1| in the total length. 

 Eyes diameter 2^ in length of head, diam. from end of snout, 

 and 1 apart. Cleft of mouth oblique, lower jaw the longer. Angle 

 of opercle rather angular and finely serrated. Fins anterior 



