THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
119 
Fam. BATRACHID2E. 
Genus Bateachus, Klein . 
Branchiostegals, six: pseudobran chi® none. Head broad depressed, body subcylindrical anteriorly, 
compressed posteriorly. Eyes lateral or approximating superiorly. Mouth widely cleft, lips frequently 
surmounted by tentacles. Gill covers spinate. Two dorsals, the anterior spinous and short ; the posterior 
long and similar to the anal. Yentrals jugular with three rays, the anterior of which is simple, elongated 
and flattened. Teeth on the jaws, vomer, and palatine bones. Scales absent or rudimentary. Air bladder 
present, constricted into two lateral portions. 
Bateachus geunniens. 
Cottus geunniens, var. B. Linn. Gmelin , i. p. 1209. 
Bateachus geunniens, Bloch , pi. 179 ; Gunther , Catal. iii. p. 168. 
Bateachoides Gangene, Ham. Buch. pp. 34, 365, pi. 14, f. 1. 
B. vi. D. 3 | 20. P. 25. Y. A. 14-18. C. 12. Opercular spines iv. 
Length of head f, of pectoral of caudal of base of first dorsal of base of second 
dorsal §, of base of anal \ of the total length. Height of head }, of body l )} of first dorsal T \ T , of 
second dorsal G> of anal G, of ventral 1 of total length. 
Eyes—On upper and outer side of head, diameter § of length of head, 1 diameter apart, 
| a diameter from end of snout. 
Body longest in front, widest opposite the end of the opercle, where it is nearly two thirds 
the height of body. Head flat, depressed, and obtuse in front. Body rather compressed posteriorly. 
Lower jaw the longest, rather pointed in front, and with a tubercle on symphysis. Gape 
of mouth very wide. The maxilla rather notched in the centre and extending to beneath the 
posterior margin of the orbit. Lips fleshy, and surrounded by a wreath of short tentacles. 
Intermaxillaries protrusible. Preopercle as long as high. Opercle with two strong spines on its 
posterior margin, the largest equal to two thirds of the diameter of the orbit, they are connected 
at their bases, the superior passes upwards, backwards, and slightly outwards, the inferior directly 
backwards and slightly outwards. From the subopercle proceed two more spines also connected 
together at their bases, neither so long, nor so strong as the upper two, but passing in the 
same direction. Preorbital small. Upper surface of the head lineated in ridges. The posterior 
processes of the intermaxillaries extend backwards to opposite the centre of the orbit. A groove 
passes from the posterior margin of one orbit to that of the other. At the anterior superior 
margin of the orbit exists a blunt elevation, sometimes surmounted by a tentacle. 
Teeth—In numerous, sharp, pointed, irregular rows in both upper and lower jaws, which 
become a single series posteriorly. Teeth also on the vomer and palatines, forming a single semi¬ 
circular band rather larger than those in the jaws. 
Fins—The ventral arises under the throat: the pectoral which has a long muscular base, 
commences from behind the opercles : it has no foramen in the axil. The first dorsal commences' 
opposite the posterior margin of the origin of the pectoral: the anal opposite the fourth ray of the 
dorsal. Yentral pointed. Pectoral wedge-shaped. First dorsal triangular : spines moderately 
strong, the second being the longest: second dorsal, and anal trapezoid. Caudal wedge-shaped. 
