THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
97 
Teachynotus oyatus. 
Gasterosteus ovatus, Lin. Syst, Nat. i. p. 490. 
Mookalee-parah, Russell , pi. 154. 
Trachinotus falcatus, Cuv. & Veil. viii. p. 430. 
Traci-iinotus mookalee, Cuv. & Val. viii. p. 423; Cantor , Catal. p. 120. 
Trachinotus Blociiii, Cuv. & Val. viii. p. 425. 
Trachinotus affinis, Cuv. & Val. viii. p. 428. 
Trachinotus falcifer, Cuv. & Val. viii. p. 428. 
Trachinotus drepanis, Cuv. & Val. viii. p. 429. 
Trachynotus ovatus, Gunther , Catal. ii. p. 481. 
B. vii. D. 6 I T V P. 17. Y. i. A. 2 | ^. C. 17. 
Length of head -J, of pectoral base of first dorsal base of second dorsal b, of caudal J, 
of base of anal ^ of total length. Height of head of body of first dorsal jj, of second dorsal 
l , of ventral -J, of anal 1 of total length. 
Eyes—Diameter J length of head, f of a diameter from end of snout, 1 j diameters apart. 
Body elliptical, sides compressed; snout obtuse ; a considerable rise from it to the first dorsal, 
but superior and inferior profile of body equally convex. 
Mouth oblique, its angle under anterior margin of orbit, the posterior extremity of the maxilla 
reaching to beneath the centre of orbit: sn«ut vertical. Preorbital rather broad, rounded anteriorly, 
and tapering almost to a point beneath centre of orbit: preopercle broad, horizontal portion half 
the height of its narrow vertical one : its external surface is divided into two parts by an elevation 
down the centre, sending off long radiating ridges towards its angle and horizontal margin : angle 
slightly produced. Opercle half as wide as high : interopercle rather large. Anterior opening of 
nostrils smaller than the posterior. 
Teeth—In young specimens there is a band of card-like teeth in both jaws, but as the fish 
increase in size (as eight inches in length) they lose them, as well as those on the vomer and 
palatine bones. 
Pins—Pectoral broad and rounded, it commences behind the upper margin of the subopercle; 
first dorsal and ventral on a line opposite its centre; second dorsal opposite its termination: anal 
spines opposite commencement of second dorsal : and anal fin below sixth ray of second 
dorsal. First dorsal with a horizontal spine before it: first spine small, from whence the others 
gradually increase in size : in specimens up to five inches in length there is a deeply cleft inter- 
spinous membrane which connects the first and second dorsal fins, but this is wanting’ in 
older fish. Spine of second dorsal strong, first ray highest, and more than four times as long’ as 
the last; anterior portion of upper margin concave, but for its last two thirds parallel with the 
curve of the back. Ventral pointed, the second of the anal spines the strongest and longest. 
Spiue of anal fin strong. Caudal with deeply pointed lobes. 
Scales—Minute. 
Lateral line—At first very slightly ascends and then forms a slight curve to opposite the 
eleventh dorsal ray, from whence it proceeds straight to the centre of the caudal. 
Colours—The upper surface of the head and back silvery green, on the sides golden green, 
whilst the opercles and abdomen are br illi ant gamboge, as are all the fins. The upper half of 
the first five rays of the dorsal tipped with black, and the whole of the fin dotted Avith minute 
o 
