26 
THE FISHES OF MALABAE. 
Ventral spine rather weak, first ray prolonged. Second anal spine much the longest, and slightly 
stronger than the third. Caudal moderately forked. 
Scales—In parallel rows above the lateral line, but passing upwards and backwards below it. 
None on snout, pre- or infraorbital bones, but present on cheeks and between orbits. 
Lateral line—In upper fourth of body. 
Colours—Back of a dull reddish yellow, shot with greenish, the rest of the body orange, 
brightest on the abdomen. A light buff band passes over the back of the head and extends itself 
over the opercle. The base of each scale on the body rather darker than its margin. Fins dusky 
yellow. Iris yellow. 
Grows to eight inches in length. 
Habitat—Bed Sea, Seas of India and China. 
Genus DENTEX, Cuvier. 
Branchiostegals, six: pseudobranchiae. Body compressed, oblong, rather elevated. Eyes moderate. 
Cleft of mouth more or less horizontal, jaws nearly equal, usually with strong canines in each. One 
dorsal from ten to thirteen spines, anal with three, caudal more or less forked. Preorbital and preopercle 
entire, opercle without prominent spine. Scales moderate, ctenoid, more than three rows on preopercle. 
Air bladder notched posteriorly. Pyloric appendages few. 
* Dentex hasta. 
Dextex hasta, Cuv. & Val. v i. p.255; Gunther, Catal. i. p. 373. 
B. vi. D. if P. 15. V. i. Af. C. 17. 
Height of body -1 of total length. Eyes large, central. Mouth slightly protractile. 
Teeth—Six strong canines in each jaw, those below weaker than those above, an external 
series of large triangular and compressed teeth, with villiform ones behind. 
Colours—-Greenish brown on the back, becoming silvery on the abdomen. Ten to twelve 
violet lines along the sides. Fins, blue, shot with violet. 
Grows to eight inches in length. 
Habitat—Malabar. 
Genus SYNAGRIS, Gunther. 
Dentex, sp. Cuvier. 
Branchiostegals, six : pseudobranchias. Form of body elongate : eyes moderate. Jaws nearly equal. 
Mouth more or less horizontal. One continuous dorsal with ten feeble spines, anal with three. Caudal 
deeply forked. Infraorbital arch entire : preopercle entire, or finely serrated. Opercle without prominent 
spine. Canine teeth in upper jaw. Scales of moderate size, ctenoid, with three rows on preopercle. 
Swimming bladder notched posteriorly. Pyloric appendages few. 
Synagpjs geammicus. Plate IV. 
Synageis geammicus, Day , Proceed. Zool. Soc. 1865, p. 14. 
B. vi. D. f°. P. 17. V. 1. A. f. C. 17. L. 1. 48. L. tr. 
