Zoology.-] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Fishes. 



Measurements. 

 Length from front to origin of pectoral 



„ of base of pectoral ... 



„ of anterior margin of pectoral 



„ from front to anterior base of ventral 



„ of base of ventral ... 



„ of anterior margin of ventral 



,, of posterior margin of ventral 



„ from front to anterior edge of base of anal fin ... 



„ of base of anal 



„ of anterior margin ... 



„ of posterior margin... 

 Width of head 

 Length of lateral ends 

 Width across posterior angles of mouth 



„ of mouth ... 

 Length of largest teeth 

 Diameter of orbit ... ... ... ... . 



Length of middle gill-openings 



Explanation of Figures. 



Plate 56. — Fig. 1, lateral view, greatly reduced. Fig. la, underside of head to show 

 proportion of lateral lobes and position of nostrils near eye on front edge. Fig. 16, tooth of 

 upper jaw, natural size. Fig. lc, tooth of lower jaw, natural size. 



ft. 



ins. 



lines. 



1 



1 











3 



3 







7 



6 



2 



6 



6 







2 











2 



3 







4 







3 



5 



6 







2 











2 



6 







3 







1 



5 



6 







4 



6 







5 



6 







4 



6 











3 







I 











2 







Plate 56, Fig. 2. 



PRISTIOPHORUS NUDIPINNIS (Gunth.). 

 The Common Australian Saw-Fish. 



[Genus PRISTIOPHORUS (Mull, and Henle). (Sub-kingd. Vertebrata. Class Pisces. 

 Order Plagiostomata. Sub-ord. Selachoidea. Fam. Pristiophoridse.) 



Gen. Char. — Snout produced into a long, flat lamina, having a row of very unequal teeth 

 projecting in one plane from the lateral edge. Body elongate, slender, fusiform ; pectoral fins 

 large, with free margins, much behind head ; gill-openings lateral, in front of pectoral ; spiracles 

 wide, behind the eye. No nictitating membrane ; nostrils inferior ; a pair of long tentacles 

 from underside of snout ; teeth of mouth very small, in many close rows, with small cusp from 

 broad base. Dorsal fins without spines, first in front of the ventrals, second behind them ; no 

 anal fin ; caudal fin notched. Japan and Australia.] 



Description. — Yellowish-brown, paler beneath; lateral teeth of snout very 

 unequal, from 1 to 4 small ones irregularly between each pair of larger, a row of 

 smaller, more equal teeth hooked backwards on the underside of the outer edge \ 

 nostrils considerably farther from first gill-opening than from tentacles; scales 

 minute, nearly smooth, 3 or 5 slight ridges at base, the middle one faintly extended 

 as a keel ; 35 rows of teeth at edge of upper jaw. 



Reference. — Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. v. 8, p. 432. 



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