34 
PISCES APODES. STROMATEUS. 
shape, and terminate opposite to each other, at the narrowest part of the tail; the first rays in both, are shorter, 
and rise more gradually to form the crescent; the caudal is less deeply divided, the lobes nearly of equal 
length: but all the three fins are more remarkably distinguished, by being squamous almost to the margin of 
the membrane. The pectoral broad, descending, the point a little curve. No ventral fins. 
Colour. The whole fish is of a cineritious colour, the belly only being somewhat lighter, and here and there 
marked with very minute black dots. 
Inches. Lines. 
The length, from the nose to the middle of the anal fin, - - 11 6 
Breadth of the body 
REMARKS. 
This species is very rare. I first saw it in May 1788, and it was very seldom brought afterwards. In 
quality for the table it is very inferior to the white or black Pomfret. Though alike in colour, this fish is very 
different from the Stromateus Cinereus of Bloch; which is specifically characterized, by the length of the 
lower lobe of the caudal fin. 
No. XLV. 
Stromateus cor'pore rhornbeo, alcpidoto ; aculeis bicuspidalis ante pinnani dorsalem analemque ; 
cauda Innata lobo iiiferiore longissimo. 
The Stromateus, with a rhomb-form body, without scales; double headed spines 
before the dorsal and the anal fin ; the inferior lobe of the lunated caudal fin 
very long. 
Called by the Natives Sum Sandawah. 
T_ J_ 5 « 
B. iv. D. 7. 39. P. 22. V. 0 A. 5. 40. C. 24. 
The body rhomb-form, thin, compressed, without scales, the skin soft, marked with various lines or striae. 
The head small, compressed, short, obtuse. The mouth under the projecting blunt nose, small, narrow, the 
jaws have little motion, the under shortest: neither have teeth, nor are there teeth in the palate. The tongue 
round, blunt. 
The eyes middle, large, not prominent. Nostrils between the orbit and nose, one before the other, the 
posterior largest, oval; the other round. 
The hinder lamina of the operculum acuminate; the branchial membrane visible, though partly covered. 
The trunk. The back assurgent and carinate; on the hind head are two latent spines; and on the ascent 
before the dorsal fin, are seven distinct, visible, spiculi, with double points. Another latent spine is felt on the 
breast, and five spiculi like those on the back, are visible before the anal fin. The sides and tail as in the other 
species. The lateral line is arched, exactly as in the white Pomfret; but a second line equally conspicuous, 
rising from the same place, runs straight to the tail. The anus near the head. 
The fins. The dorsal and anal fins in situation and form resemble those of the white Pomfret, but each has 
a recumbent spine in front, pointing forward, and the anterior crescent portion of the anal terminates in a long 
setaceous tail. The caudal is lunate, and its inferior lobe, four inches one-fourth in length, terminates in the 
same manner as that of the anal; the pectoral, long, acuminate; no ventral fins. 
The colour of the back, and dorsal fin, leaden, the belly silvery; the anal and caudal fins yellow. 
