392 TELEOSTEI. ACA.NTHOPTERYG1I. 



snout, and 1 apart. Scales on preorbital and suborbitals. Colour 

 olive, each scale with a blue dot ; a blue line from eye across 

 preorbital, a blue spot at commencement of lateral line ; dorsal 

 dotted with blue, and having a dark edge ; anal dotted with yellow, 

 also with a dark margin; caudal with a brownish longitudinal 

 band along either lobe. A dark axillary spot on pectoral ; ventrals 

 green. 



This fish is very abundant about the coral reefs of the Andaman 

 Islands. It retires for safety to the branching coral, and allows 

 pieces to be removed from the water without leaving them. 



Hob. East coast of Africa, Andamaus, Malay Archipelago and 

 beyond. 



Family XLIII. LABRIDjE. 



Labroidei cycloidei, Mull. ; Scaroidei, Cantor ; Cyclolabrida , Owen. 



Pseudobranchise present. Gills three and a half. Body oblong 

 or elongate. Teeth in the jaws, palate edentulous ; lower pharyu- 

 geal bones anchylosed along the median line without any median 

 suture. A single dorsal fin with usually as many spines as rays 

 or more ; the anal rays usually similar to those of the dorsal ; 

 ventrals thoracic, 1/5. Scales cycloid. Air-bladder present. No 

 caecal sac to the stomach. Pyloric appendages absent. 



Geographical Distribution. Marine members of this family are 

 mostly confined to the seas of tropical and temperate regions, and 

 are generally abundant in the neighbourhood of rocks and coral 

 reefs. The British species are known as "Wrasses. Some are pro- 

 vided with strong teeth to enable them to crush the shells of 

 mollusks, and a few have an additional pointed tooth at each angle 

 of the mouth for pressing a shell against the crushing front and 

 lateral teeth. 



Synopsis of Indian Genera. 



A. Anterior teetli free and (except in Anampses) 

 conical. 



a. Lateral teeth more or less confluent into a ridge. 



No scales along bases of fins 1. XIPHOCHILUS. 



Vertical fins with scaly bases 2. CHJEROPS. 



b. Lateral teeth not confluent. 

 a'. Cheeks and opercles scaly. 



a". Dorsal spines 12 (rarely 13) 3. COSSYPHUS. 



b". Dorsal spines 9 or 10. 



a. Lateral line continuous 4. LABROIDES. 



/3. Lateral line interrupted. 



Jaws not produced behind 5. CHILINUS. 



7 TT Lo wer J aw Policed to behind orbit 6. EPIBULUS. 



b'. Head almost or quite scaleless. L 1 25-30 

 a". Dorsal spines 9. Lateral line continuous. 

 a. Two prominent compressed cutting an- 

 terior teeth in each jaw 7. ANAMPSKS. 



