Zoology.] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Fishes. 



Plate 14. 



LATES COLONORUM (Gram.). 



The Gippsland Perch. 



[Genus LATES (Cuv.). (Sub-kingd. Vertebrata. Class Pisces. Order Acantkopterygia. 

 Fam. Percidae.) 



Gen. Char. — Ovate, moderately compressed ; scales moderate ; operculum with strong 

 posterior spines ; preoperculum serrated with strong teeth on the angle and lower edge ; pre- 

 orbitals strongly serrated ; all the teeth small, villiform on the jaws, palate, and vomer ; tongue 

 smooth ; anterior dorsal with seven or eight spines ; anal fin with three spines ; no pseudo- 

 branchiae ; six or seven branchiostegal rays. Fresh and brackish waters of Africa, India, and 

 Australia.] 



Description. — Mays: branchiostegals 6 ; first dorsal with eight strong- spines, 

 first about half the length of the second, which is little more than half the length 

 of the third, which is the longest, the eighth little longer than the second ; second 

 dorsal fin with the first ray a strong spine, one-fourth longer than the last ray of the 

 anterior dorsal, followed by 9 or 10 branched rays, the first longest and about 

 two-fifths longer than the spinous ray ; ventral fin with 1 strong spine and 5 branched 

 rays, the first one two-fifths longer than the spine ; anal fin with 3 strong spines and 

 7, 8, or 9 branched rays; pectoral fin 12, 13, or 14; caudal fin 17 or 18, with 4 

 short rays above and 4 short rays below. Scales: tubular along lateral line, 54, 

 beyond without tubes, to base of tail, 6 ; in front of dorsal, above lateral line 8 

 or 9, below lateral line 19 to 21. Form: ovate, compressed, dorsal profile more 

 convex than the ventral one, curving rapidly from greatest depth in front of dorsal 

 fin to behind eye, thence concave to over front of orbit, then convex to snout; 

 length of head three and three-fourths to three and one-third the length from snout 

 to base of caudal fin ; greatest depth from three to three and one-fifth in length to 

 middle edge of caudal ; diameter of eye nearly equal to length of snout, or about one- 

 fourth of length of head; lower jaw longer than the upper. Caudal fin only slightly 

 emarginate ; preoperculum naked, with the posterior edge finely serrated, the angle 

 obtusely rounded, it and the lower edge with large irregular unequal triangular 

 spines directed downwards and forwards; operculum with a strong triangular sharp- 

 pointed spine, with a shorter blunt one over it near the origin of the lateral line, and 

 some smaller irregular ones between them; preocular, suboperculum, and inter- 

 operculum finely serrated. Teeth : very small, villiform, a band about 130 long and 

 25 rows broad in front, tapering to posterior end on each upper jaw ; a much 

 smaller band on each palate bone, about 109 in the length, 15 rows across anterior, 

 and tapering to eight across the posterior end ; patch on vomer subtrigonal or semi- 

 lunar ; band on lower jaw, about 135 teeth in the length and 14 across the anterior 

 end. Color : dark greenish-olive on back, grey on sides, and white on belly ; middle 

 of the dorsal scales bright- silvery ; front of head and mouth purplish ; cheeks with 

 green and red reflections ; pectoral and first dorsal very pale, slightly clouded with 

 grey ; the other fins darker brownish-grey ; iris bright yellow, with orange clouds. 



Reference. — Giinther, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., Feb. 1863, p. 114. 



Thi? fish occurs in great abundance in the Gippsland lakes 

 opening into the sea, and is brought to the markets at Melbourne 



C 15] 



