THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
Genus, DIAGRAMMA, Cuvier. 
Plectorhynchus, Lcicep. 
Branchiostegals, sis or seven : pseudobranchias. Body oblong, compressed, with the upper profile of 
head parabolic. Eyes of moderate size. Month small, horizontal, with lips folded and turned back. Eour 
or six pores on under surface of lower jaw, but no large groove. One dorsal with from nine to fourteen 
spines, anal with three. Preopercle serrated, suborbitals entire. USTo canine teeth. Scales rather small, 
rarely of moderate size. Air bladder simple. Pyloric appendages few. 
Diagramma nigrum. 
Pristipoma nigrum, Cantor , Catal. p. 74; ? Cuv. & Val. v. p. 258 ; Gunther , Catal. i. 
p. 289. 
Diagramma affine, Gunther , Catal. i. p. 319. 
B. vii. D. ff. P.16. Y. 1. A. f. C. 17. L. 1. 47. L. tr. if 
Length of head f, of pectoral of caudal of base of dorsal of base of anal of total 
length. Height of head of body 1,, of hard dorsal of soft dorsal of ventral ( 1, of anal jj of 
total length. 
Eyes—Transversely oval, horizontal diameter 1, vertical diameter of length of head, 11 
diameter from end of snout, more than 1 diameter apart. 
Lips fleshy, folded, and turned back. Snout short, rather elevated. Cleft of mouth horizontal, 
rather narrow. Maxilla extending only two-thirds of the distance to the orbit, in young specimens 
it goes rather further back. Nostrils approximating, situated close to anterior superior margin of 
orbit. Preopercle, vertical limb finely serrated, angle rather produced, rounded and denticulated, 
also about half the horizontal limb sparingly denticulated. Sub- and interopercles and preorbital 
entire. Opercle with two bluntish spines, the lower of which is the largest and serrated. Supra¬ 
scapular serrated: scapular and coracoid bones entire. 
Teeth—Two villiform bands in either jaw separated by a narrow interspace. 
Fins—Dorsal with a scaly sheath, the base of spinous portion two-thirds the entire length of 
that of the fin. Spines strong, interspinous membrane deeply notched. The thickness of each 
spine varies on the different sides of the body, the fourth the longest. Ventral spine moderately 
strong. Anal arises opposite third or fourth dorsal ray, the spines which are very strong have a 
scaly sheath at their base, the second much the strongest, more than two and a half times as long 
as the first, and one-third longer than the last. Pectoral rounded. Ventral and caudal both 
moderately rounded. 
Scales—Above lateral line passing obliquely upwards and backwards, below it in horizontal 
rows : the whole of the head except the snout scaled. 
Lateral line—In upper third of body, passing parallel with the back until opposite end of 
soft dorsal. 
Air bladder large : intestinal canal short, pyloric appendages rather numerous. 
Colours—Generally greyish or slate colour, -with a golden brassy tint towards the back and 
abdomen, and a violet tinge over the head and remainder of the body, especially about the fore¬ 
head. A few bright coppery spots are irregularly dispersed over some scales, and a coppery tinge 
over the hard rays of the dorsal. All the fins of a violet slate colour, stained darker along their 
margins, and with a dark band at the base of each, so that the centre is the lightest colour. Throat 
and breast white. Eyes silvery, with a copperish dash. 
