76 
THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
pointed and covered superiorly with numerous rows of villiform teeth hi a triangular space in 
advance of the upper jaw, which is pointed. The lower jaw has a soft tip. Opercle rounded with 
some striated ridges on it. Nostrils rather nearer to angle of mouth than to the anterior superior 
anode of the orbit. 
D 
Fins—Pectoral situated over the posterior margin of the opercle, and opposite posterior 
quarter of the bony disk. Ventral slightly posterior to it. Second dorsal commences midway 
between anterior extremity and base of caudal, anal opposite to it. First dorsal forming portion 
of the disk. Second dorsal and anal opposite one another, both highest in front with rather 
concave margins, and the last rays slightly produced. Ventral pointed, and placed almost 
horizontally. Caudal with its posterior margin straight, but having four short notches at its 
extremity : one-ninth of the body finless, between the last dorsal and anal rays, and the base of 
the caudal fin. 
Scales—Minute, closely adherent to the skin, their longest diameter transverse. 
Lateral line—Rather undulating, passing slightly downwards to the centre of the body which 
it attains between the anal and second dorsal fins. 
Colours—Generally brownish grey, with the external margins of the caudal, and the anterior 
tips of the dorsal and anal fins edged with white. Pectoral of a deep brown, centre of caudal 
nearly black. 
Not rare in Malabar, where they are found of all sizes up to a foot, or even to two feet in 
length. Are frequently captured attached to sharks, and eaten by the Natives. 
Habitat—Seas of India, and all those of temperate and tropical regions. 
Genus STROMATEUS, Artedi. 
Peprilus, Cuvier. 
Apolectus, Cuv. & Val. 
Rhombus, Cuv. & Val. 
Seserinus, Cuv. & Val. 
Branchiostegals, from five to seven: pseudobranchise. Body compressed, more or less elevated. 
Eyes lateral. Cleft of mouth narrow, or of moderate width. Infraorbitals do not articulate with pre- 
opercle. A single long dorsal and anal fin having rudimentary spines anteriorly. No ventral fins in the 
adult. Teeth in a single series on the margin of the jaws : palate and tongue smooth: oesophagus armed 
with numerous bony barbed teeth. Scales small, covering vertical fins. No air bladder. Pyloric appen¬ 
dages numerous. 
Stromateus sinensis. 
Stromateus sinensis, Euphrasen , Vetensk. Acad. Nya Handl. Stockli. ix. p. 49, t. 9 ; 
Bl. Schn. p. 492; Cantor , Catal. p. 140. 
Atookoia, Bussell , pi. 44. 
Stromateus atous, Cuv. & Val. ix. p. 389 ; Gunther , Catal. ii. p. 399. 
Stromateus albus, Cuv. & Val. ix. p. 388. 
Vella arwoolee, Mai. White Pomfret. 
