216 TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTEBYGII. 



B.vii. D. 12-13/17-22. P. 19. V. 1/5. A. 19-22. C. 15. 



Length of head 4|, of disk 4, width of body between pectorals 

 5|, of caudal 8| in the total length. Eyes -2% diameters in post- 

 orbital portion of head, 2^ from end of snout, 6 apart above. Body 

 wide anteriorly, width of disk equals f of length. Mouth obtuse ; 

 lower jaw the longer, the maxilla reaches to below third lamina of 

 disk. Teeth an outer enlarged series in lower jaw and vomer. 

 fins second dorsal commences in second third of distance between 

 bases of pectoral and caudal fins and opposite anal. Ventral as 

 long as distance between eye and base of pectoral. Caudal very 

 slightly emarginate. Goloui uniform brown. 

 JJab. Seas of India, Japan, and the Cape. 



Family XXI. URANOSCOPID^. > 



Korale, Tamil. 



Body low and more or less cylindrical. Gill-openings wide. 

 Eyes on upper surface of head. Head mostly cuirassed with bony 

 plates. Infraorbital ring of bones does not articulate with the 

 preopercle. Usually villiform teeth in both jaws, canines present 

 or absent. One or two dorsal fins, the spines fewer in number 

 than the rays. Yentral with one spine and five rays. Pectoral 

 rays branched. No prominent papilla near the vent. Scales when 

 present rudimentary. Lateral line continuous. Air-bladder absent. 

 Pyloric appendages when present few or in moderate numbers. 



Geographical Distribution. Tropical and temperate seas. 



Synopsis of Indian Genera. 



Two dorsal fins 1. URAXOSCOPTTS. 



A single dorsal fin 2. ICHTHYSCOPUS. 



1. Genus URANOSCOPUS, Cuv. 



Syn. Nematagnus, Gill. 



Branchiostegals six ; pseudobranchia3. Head large, broad, and 

 partly covered with bony plates. The opercles and shoulder-bones 

 usually armed. Besides the posterior gill-opening there is generally 

 a rounded orifice above the opercle. Cleft of mouth vertical, with 

 a filament below or before the tongue. Villiform or cardiform 

 teeth on the jaws, vomer, and palatine bones; no canines. Two 

 dorsals, the first with from three to five spines ; ventrals jugular, 

 bcales small and rudimentary. Air-bladder absent. Pyloric 

 appendages in moderate numbers. 



Geographical Distribution. Indo-Pacific, Mediterranean, and 

 Atlantic. 



