46 
THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
* Platycephalus suppositus. 
Platycepiialus scaber, Cuv. & Val. iv. p. 249. 
Platycephalus suppositus, Trosch , Wiegm. Arch. 1840, p. 269; Gunther , Catal. ii. 
p. 187. 
B. vi. D. 1 | 8 | 12. P. 22. Y. A. A. 12. C. 18. 
Length of head fa ia its total: width between preopercnlar spines 7 } in length of head. 
Second dorsal spine p 3 - in that of head. Each nostril is defended by a small spine, there is 
one also before the orbit, and five or six on the superciliary ridge; four larger ones on its con¬ 
tinuation, which is prolonged posteriorly. There are four spines on the temporal ridge, which 
extends from the eye to the suprascapular, and five or six on a ridge which passes from the pre¬ 
orbital to the angle of the preopercle, the superior of which is three or four times larger than 
the one below it, and equals its distance from the orbit, beneath which is a third still shorter, 
having a very small one at its base. Interorbital space slightly concave, and its width equals 
the diameter of the orbits. Opercle with two widely separated spines, the inferior of which is 
situated at the end of a ridge which traverses the length of that bone. 
Eyes—Smaller and less approximating than in the P. insidiator. 
Scales—Those on opercular pieces and back of head have a small projection in their centres. 
Lateral line—Armed with from 44 to 50 small pointed spines directed backwards, like those 
on the head; it is nearer the back than in the P. insidiator. 
Colours—Reddish grey above, whitish beneath. First dorsal with a black band. Second 
dorsal, caudal, and pectoral spotted with brown on a pale ground; posterior half of caudal black, 
end of ventral blackish, pectorals deeply spotted with brown, anal white. 
Habitat—Indian seas. 
Genus ANEMA, Gunther. 
Uranoscopus, sp. Cuv. & Val. 
Branckiostegals, six: pseudobranchise. Body elongate, low. One dorsal, the spinous portion having 
its base shorter than that of the soft. Anal developed equally to soft dorsal. Ventral jugular. Pectoral 
rays branched. Cleft of mouth vertical. Eye on upper side of head. Yilliform teeth on jaws, vomer, and 
palatines. Ao filament below or before the tongue, or a superior opening of the gills as in the genus 
Uranoscopus. Some of the bones of the head armed. Infraorbital ring does not articulate with the pre¬ 
opercle. Body covered with very fine scales. Air bladder none. Pyloric appendages in moderate numbers. 
* Anema INERME. 
Uranoscopus inermis, Cuv. & Val . iii. p. 310, pi. 65. 
Anema inerme, Gunther , Catal. ii. p. 230. 
B. vi. D. yfifg. P.18. Y. 1 . A.16-19. C. 11. Coec. pylor. 8 . 
Length of head 3f in total. 
Surface of head with irregular or radiating granulated lines. Preorbital large, its anterior 
border divided into three lobes. Preopercle large, entire, finely granulated, and radiated in its 
