ATHEBINID^E. 337 



Hah. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond ; at- 

 taining at least 4| feet in length. 



1164. (4.) SphyraBna obtusata. (Fig. 112.) 



Sphyrsena obtusata, CUD. # Vol. H. N. Poiss. iii, p. 350; Day, 



Fish. India, p. 343, pi. Ixxi, fig. 5 (see synoii.). 

 Gdnjya, Marathi. 



D. 5 | 1/9. P. 14. A. 1/9. C. 17. L. 1. 90. L. tr. 9/17. C. p. about 24. 



Length of head 3|, height of body 6 (8 ?) in the total length. 

 Eyes diameter" 4| in length of head, 1| diam. from end of snout, 

 and a little more than | apart. Height of head equals ^ to f of 

 its length. A slight fleshy knob at end of lower jaw. Preopercle 

 nearly rectangular, angle a little produced, the opercle terminates 

 in a single flat membranous point. TeetJi about 20 on either 

 ram us of lower jaw, the 9 or 10 posterior ones being the largest, 

 with an anterior central fang ; one or two large fangs anteriorly 



Fig. 112. Spkyrcena obtusata. 



in upper jaw ; and three large fangs in front of palatines, 

 followed by a single row of small teeth. Fitis first dorsal arises 

 over last fourth of pectoral and a little behind ventral. Caudal not 

 so deeply lobed as in S. jcllo, central rays being | length of longest 

 outer ones or less. Scales extended over opercles and cheeks. 

 Colour greyish green above, whitish along abdomen, the grey 

 descending in a festooned edge below the lateral line. Pec- 

 torals greyish, the other fins yellowish. 



Hob. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and Australia. 



Family XXXV. ATHEEINID^E. 



Branchiostegals five or six ; pseudobranchise. Four gills ; gill- 

 opening wide. Body more or less elongate and somewhat sub- 

 cylindrical. Eyes lateral. Gape of mouth of moderate width; 

 cleft not very deep. Teeth minute. Two dorsal fins, the spines 

 of the first feeble, and less in number than the rays of the second, 

 which is similar to the anal ; ventrals abdominal, 1/5. Scales of 



