THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
13 
pins—Dorsal spines not very strong, they occupy above half the length of the base of the 
fin, interspinous membrane rather deeply notched. Third and fourth spines the longest, from these 
they decrease to the ninth, whilst the last is slightly produced. Ventral spine weak. First anal 
spine not quite half the height of second which is slightly the strongest, whilst the third is the 
longest. 
g ca l es —None between or before the orbits, an arched very conspicuous double row over 
the nape. Those on the body both above and below the lateral line pass horizontally, but opposite 
the termination of the soft dorsal the rows become undulating in their course. 
Lateral line—Situated in upper fourth of body, parallel to the back. 
Colours—Back brownish red, with the base of each scale greyish brown or ash coloured. 
Below the lateral line bright deep lake. Each scale rather darker at its base than at its margin. 
Cheeks orange scarlet. Under surface of throat and chest scarlet, with a shade of orange. A 
bright blue zig-zag line passes along either side of the snout over preorbital and suborbital ring of 
bones. Dorsal, hard portion brownish grey : the soft orange scarlet. Anal, hard portion greyish : 
the soft scarlet. Pectoral scarlet, deepest at its margin. Eye, bluish grey with a golden red 
centre. In the young fish the colours are rather brighter, but they soon fade after death. 
Common, grows to a large size, and is excellent eating. 
Habitat—Seas of India. 
Mesopeion fulviflamma. 
SCDENA FULVIFLAMMA. ForsJcol , ]). 45. 
Mesopeion fulviflamma, Guv. & Val. ii. p. 423 ; Gunther , Catal. i. p. 201. 
B. vii. D. yg--Y 4 . P.16. V. \. A. §. C. 17. L. 1. 43-50. L tr. Cmc. pylor. 5. 
Length of head 4, of pectoral of caudal of base of dorsal of base of anal \ of total 
length. Height of head |, of body 3, of hard dorsal y, of soft dorsal y, of ventrals of anal ] 
of total length. 
Eyes—Horizontal diameter l t , and vertical diameter f of length of head, 1 diameter from end 
of snout, 1 a diameter apart. 
Maxilla extends to beneath the centre of the orbit. Preorbital entire. Preopercle, vertical 
limb indistinctly emarginate and finely serrated, angle rounded where the serratures are stronger, 
lower limb oblique and rather coarsely serrated. Sub- and interopercles entire ; no knob on the 
latter. Two rather strong but blunt spines to opercle. 
Teeth—In jaws villiform, with an external larger row, and canines in each intermaxillary. 
Villiform teeth on vomer and palate. 
Fins—First dorsal spine half the height of second, which is two-thirds that of the third which 
is nearly equal with fourth and fifth, from thence they gradually decrease: they are moderately 
strong, and the interspinous membrane is deeply notched. Second anal spine slightly longest and 
strongest. Ventral pointed. Caudal truncated. 
Scales—Above lateral line pass backwards and upwards, below it in horizontal rows. 
Colours—Back yellowish olive and in some specimens rose colour, abdomen yellow with 
oblique olivaceous fines passing upwards and backwards above the lateral line and longitudinal ones 
below it. A black spot on lateral fine from twenty-third to twenty-sixth transverse scales. Fins 
yellowish. Dorsal tipped with black, pectoral olive, last half of caudal stained blackish grey. 
Eye golden. 
Habitat—Red Sea, and Seas of India, Malaysia, China, and Seychelles. 
