LABK1DJE. 415 



13. Genus GOMPHOSUS, Laceptde. 



Branchiostegals six. Body oblong, compressed. Snout pro- 

 duced, tubiform ; cleft of mouth short ; preopercle entire. Gill- 

 membranes attached to the isthmus. Anterior teeth conical ; no 

 posterior canine. Dorsal fin with fewer spines than rays. Anal 

 with fewer rays than the soft dorsal. Scales rather large, none on 

 the head ; base of dorsal and anal scaly. Lateral line continuous. 



Geographical Distribution. Eed Sea and Indian Ocean, extending 

 to Polynesia. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



Violet or vivid green 1. G. cceruleus, p. 415. 



Brownish, vertical fins dark . 2. G. pectoralis, p. 410. 



Greenish or brownish, a wide yellow band on 



shoulder to behind pectoral 3. G. tricolor, p. 416 



1285. (1.) Gomphosus caeruleus. (Fig. 142.) 



Gomphosus caeruleus, Lacep. H. N. Poiss. iii. p. 101, t. v, fig. 1, & t. vi, 

 fig. 1 5 Day, Fish. India, p. 406, pi. Ixxxviii, fig. 3 (see synon.). 



Nil-talapat-girawah, Singhalese. 



D. 8/13. P. 15. A. 2-3/11. C. 14. L. 1. 29. L. tr. 3/10. 



Length of head 3, height of body 4| to 5 in the total length. 

 Eyes situated rather behind middle of head. Teeth the two an- 

 terior in upper jaw curved and much longer than the remainder. 

 Fins caudal with its outer rays much produced in adults. Colour 



Fig. 142. Gomphosus caruleus. 



sometimes violet, with vertical fins yellow, dorsal and anal with 

 blue edges ; upper and lower margins of caudal blue ; or else 

 vivid green, outer edges of dorsal and anal lighter, also posterior 

 extremity of caudal and inner rays of ventral. 

 Hob. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



