THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
15 
Genus AMBASSIS, Cuv. and Val. 
Chanda, Ham. Buck. 
Bagoda, pt. Bleeker. 
Branchiostegals, six : two dorsals, the first with seven spines, the anal with three. A recumbent spine 
in front of dorsal fin, pointing forwards. Lower limb of preopercle with a double denticulated edge. 
Opercle without a prominent spine. Body compressed, more or less diaphanous. No canines, but teeth 
on vomer and palatine bones. Scales large or moderate, frequently deciduous. 
Ambassis Commersonii. 
Ambassis Commersonii, Cuv. Val. ii. p. 176, p]. 25 ; Gunther , Catal. i. p. 223. 
B. vi. D. 7 | 9 ? n , P. 15. V. \. A. f. L. 1. 30-33. L. tr. f 2 , Vert. 
Length of head f, of pectoral i, of caudal of base of dorsal J, of base of anal of total 
length. Height of head -J, of body 1, of first dorsal jt, of second dorsal of ventral of anal J of 
total length. 
Eyes—Diameter \ length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, nearly 1 diameter apart. 
Maxilla extends to beneath the anterior third of orbit. Nostrils comparatively large. 
Preorbital rather strongly denticulated, denticulations passing downwards and slightly back¬ 
wards. Preopercle, vertical limb finely denticulated, inferior limb with its double edge den¬ 
ticulated, the posterior teeth the coarsest with the exception of two or three large ones at the angle 
of the anterior edge. Inferior margin of interopercle very finely serrated at its posterior angle : in 
young specimens these serratures are only visible with the aid of a magnifying glass. Subopercle 
entire. Two or three very blunt and small spinous processes at posterior superior angle of orbit. 
Teeth—Villiform, an external series of conical ones, about three times as large as the posterior 
rows, exists in both jaws and each intermaxillary. Teeth on vomer and palatines, in a single sharp 
series. 
Fins—Dorsal spines moderately strong, straight, or curved slightly backwards, second the 
longest, from whence they decrease to the last. Ventral spine not very strong. First anal spine 
two-sevenths of length of the second and third which are equal, but the second spine is at least 
twice as broad as the third. First dorsal triangular. Pectoral rather pointed, reaching as far 
as first spine of anal. Ventral triangular, it does not extend so far as the anal by the length of 
the diameter of the orbit. 
Scales—Deciduous. Lateral line at first convex, becoming nearly horizontal opposite pos¬ 
terior third of second dorsal. 
Colours—Beautifully silvered with purplish reflections, a bright silvery metallic band of colour 
passes from orbit to centre of caudal. Opercle of burnished silver, back slightly greenish; the 
silvery peritoneum is visible through the abdominal walls. In some specimens there is a blackish 
mark between the first and second spines of dorsal, and also between the upper part of the second 
and third. 
Common, grows in Malabar to seven inches in length. Found in fresh and brackish water. 
Habitat—Fresh waters and estuaries of the East Indies, sometimes in the sea. Also the Red 
Sea, Mauritius, and the shores of North Australia. 
Ambassis nalua. 
Ambassis nalua, Cuv. & Val. ii. p. 182 ; Gunther , Catal. i. p. 225. 
Chanda nalua, Buch. Ham. pp. 107, 371, pi. 6, f. 36; Cantor , Catal. p. 6, 
