THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
5 
Serranus hoeridus, Cuv. & Veil. ii. p. 321 ; Cantor , Catal. p. 9 ; Gunther , Catal. i, 
p. 136. 
Suggalahtoo bontoo, Russell , pi. 130. (young.) Kueeupu, Mai. 
B. vii. D. J-Jig. P. 19. Y. 1 A. f. C. 17. L. r. 90-105. 
Length of head f, of pectoral jt, of caudal ^, of base of dorsal of base of anal of the total 
length. Height of head 1, of body of hard dorsal T y, of soft dorsal -§> of ventral of anal -}j of 
the total length. In young specimens the proportionate height of the dorsal spines (as in some 
other Serrani) is greater than in the adult. 
Eyes—Diameter length of head, 1-1,- diameters apart, 1^ from end of snout. 
The maxilla reaches to beneath the posterior margin of the orbit: sub- and interopercles 
entire : preopercle with a rounded, finely serrated, posterior vertical margin : the serratures 
roughest at the angle, horizontal portion entire. Opercle with two spines, the inferior the most 
distinct. Preorbital entire, as are also the suprascapular, scapular, and coracoid bones. 
Teeth—Villiform in jaws, vomer, and palatines : some larger ones in each intermaxillary : an 
external series of conical ones in the lower jaw : no canines. 
Pins—The dorsal spines are not nearly so long as its rays : the first spine is little more than 
half the height of the second, which is a little more than three-quarters that of the third, from this 
they are all about equal in height, and nearly half as long as the soft portion of the fin. Ventral 
spine moderately strong. First spine of anal one-third the, height of the second, which is two- 
thirds that of the third. Fins rouhded. ft 
Lateral line—In upper fifth of the body. . 
Colours—These vary exceedingly with the age of the fish; the very young are of a fine citrine 
or sulphur ground colour, with irregular black bands and markings, which become more distinct 
as the size of the fish increases : up to about a foot in length it continues of a bright gam¬ 
boge, with five vertical blackish blue bands, the first passing from the orbit directly downwards 
over the preopercle: the second from the crown of the head downwards over the opercle, and 
slightly impinging on the preopercle joins the first band anteriorly whilst passing backwards over 
the pectoral fin it joins the third band, which last commences in the space occupied between the 
third and tenth dorsal spines, passes downwards, becomes narrower and coalesces with the second 
band in front as already described, and loses itself on the abdomen. The fourth band extends 
from the fifth to the last soft ray of the dorsal fin, and passes directly downwards to the whole of 
the base of the anal. The fifth baud is situated between the base of the caudal, and the termina¬ 
tions of the dorsal and anal fins. There are some large black blotches on the jaws. The fins are 
of the same bright yellow ground colour as the body, and have black spots or blotches forming- 
confluent lines near their bases, which in the pectoral are disposed in three or four arched 
undulating bands. 
As the fish becomes upwards of a foot in length the intensity of the dark bands decreases, 
the vividness of the yellow ground colour of the body lessens, and marbling can be distinctly 
perceived over the whole of the surface, but the colour of the fins remains the same. 
In the adult, hitherto known as the Serranus horridus (Plate I. figure 2, reduced from a spe¬ 
cimen 22 T 7 y inches in length), the back is brownish gradually fading into grey on the abdomen, 
the whole being marked over with blackish grey lines. The spinous portion of the dorsal brownish 
yellow, with a dark base : the soft portions of the fins of the same colours as in the young. Iris 
brown, with a golden rim. 
