THE FISHES OF MALABAR, 
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membrane deeply notched. Second dorsal trapezoid, its rays branched. Caudal wedge-shaped, 
its central rays the longest. Pectoral pointed, its central rays produced. Ventrals joined together. 
Anal trapezoid, its rays filamentous. 
Scales—Exposed portions quadrangular, longest diameter from above downwards, striated 
in very fine raised lines converging posteriorly. No scales on cheek, a very few over base of 
caudal. 
Colours—Greyish brown above, whitish brown underneath : four or five dull blotches, almost 
forming bands, pass from the back to the sides, and a deep brown mark exists at the base of the 
caudal. A brownish line descends from the lower margin of the eye to the angle of the mouth. 
The first dorsal has four rows of brown spots, almost forming lines, the colour and size of which 
are most distinct on the first spine, and less so towards the last; the rows of spots again become 
well-marked on the anterior portion of the second dorsal, but are lost towards its posterior 
extremity. There are some obscure brownish bars on the posterior half of the caudal, which are 
most distinct on its central rays. Pectoral, ventral and anal are stained with darkish slate colour, 
which tint also forms the ground of the other fins. 
Grows to four inches in length. 
Habitat—Seas and estuaries of India. 
Genus APOCBYPTES, Cuvier. 
Branchiostegals, five: pseudobranchiae rudimentary. Body elongated. Infraorbital ring of bones 
does not articulate with the preopercle. The first dorsal fin separated from or continuous with the second 
dorsal. Ventrals united. Gill openings of moderate width, united to the isthmus. Scales small, generally 
larger posteriorly. 
Apocryptes rictuosus. 
Apocryptes rictuosus, Cuv. & Val. sii. p. 151; Glinther , Catal. iii. p. 82. 
B. iv. D. 6 j 24-27. P. 20. V. A. 26-29. L. 1. about 75. 
Length of head jj, of pectoral of caudal ^ to J, of base of first dorsal A> of base of 
second dorsal of base of anal ^ of total length. Height of head A> of body A, of first dorsal 
jg, of second dorsal A, of anal A, of ventral A °f total length. 
Eyes—Looking upwards and outwards, horizontal diameter B vertical diameter -g of length of 
head, J of a transverse diameter apart, rather more than 1 diameter from end of snout. 
Body elongated, rather compressed, head depressed. 
Mouth rounded anteriorly, cleft oblique, its depth one quarter greater than its width, and 
extending to beneath the posterior margin of the orbit : upper jaw notched anteriorly : lower jaw 
slightly prominent. Preopercle, its vertical and horizontal limbs of equal length, angle rounded. 
Opercle large, rounded posteriorly. An elevated longitudinal crest extends backwards from the 
centre of the interorbital space. Nostrils opposite the anterior superior angle of the orbit. 
Teeth—Rather long and curved, in a single closely set series in both jaws, about twenty-eight 
in the lower, and thirty-two in the upper. Two large teeth inside the lower jaw on either side of 
the symphysis. 
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