335 



D. 27-30 | 60-74. P. 15. A. 3 | 62-75. C. 9. 



Length of head 7, height of body 8 to 9 in the total length. Eyes 

 one diameter apart. __ Snout trilobed at its extremity. Angle of 

 preopercle with two strong denticulations which decrease in size 

 with age, the young have the lower margin also serrated. Fins 

 dorsal spines commence on vertical behind end of pectoral fin and 

 are short, the posterior longest. Vertical fins confluent, a slight 

 notch apparent in adult, but not seen in the young. Colour 

 olive or greenish brown, dull yellow below, some black bands radiate 

 from the eye and cross below the jaws. A light band runs along 

 upper edge of lateral line, short oblique bars or marbliugsou body 

 and vertical fins. 



Hob. Malabar coast ; attaining 8 or 9 inches in length. 



Family XXXIV. SPHYILENTD^E. 



Percoidei, pt., Cuv. 



Branchiostegals seven ; pseudobranchiae. Body elongate, sub- 

 cylindrical. Eyes of moderate size, lateral. Cleft of mouth deep. 

 Teeth in the jaws large and cutting ; present on palate, none on 

 vomer. Tsvo short dorsal fins remote from each other ; anal 

 similar to the second dorsal ; veutrals abdominal, 1/5. Scales small, 

 cycloid. Lateral line continuous. Air-bladder present, bifurcated 

 anteriorly. Pyloric appendages in moderate numbers or numerous. 



Geographical Distribution. Carnivorous fishes found in the seas 

 of temperate and tropical regions. The Barracuda, Sphyrcena 

 Cicada, is often more dreaded in the seas it inhabits than the 

 shark. 



1. Grenus SPHYRJENA, Artedi. 

 Definition as in the family. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



L. tr. 18/22. Opercle with two points 1. S. jello, p. 335. 



L. tr. 14/18. Opercle with a single point. ... 2. S. acutipinm's, p. 336. 



L. tr. 11/16. Opercle with two points .... 3. S. commersonii, p. 336. 



L. tr. 9/17. Opercle ending in a single point. 4. S. obtusata, p. 337. 



1161. (1.) Sphyrna jello. 



Sphyrana jello, Cuv. $ Vol. H. N. Poiss. iii, p. 349 j Day, Fish. 



India, p. 342 (see synon.). 



Joban tol, Marathi ; Cheelahoo, Mai. ; Jettow, Tel. 

 D. 5 | 1/9. A. 1/8-9. C. 17. L. 1. 120. L. tr. 18/22. Vert. 12/12. 



Length of head from 3| to 4, height of body 8 to 9 in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 1'rom 5 in the young to 6| in length of 



