THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
121 
are said to be of a dai-k green marbled with dirty yellow. Fins greyish olive, blackish towards 
their borders. 
Air bladder the same as in the last species. 
Grows to ten inches in length. 
Habitat—Malabar. 
Fam. PEDICULATI, Cuvier. 
Genus ANTENNARIUS, Commerson. 
Chironectes, pt., Cuvier. 
Branchiostegals, six: pseudobranchiae none. Head and anterior portion of body large, high, and 
compressed. Eyes lateral. Mouth vertical or subvertical. Two dorsals, the first with three spines, 
the anterior of which is modified into a tentacle situated above the snout. The soft dorsal of moderate 
length, and more developed than the anal. Yentrals jugular, with four or five soft rays. Pectoral arising 
from a species of arm formed by the prolongation of the carpal bones. Teeth in cardiform or villiform 
bands on jaws, vomer, and palatine bones. Skin naked, or covered with minute spines. Gill opening 
reduced to a small foramen situated in or near the axil. Air bladder present. Stomach wide. Pyloric 
appendages none. 
* Antennarius MARMORATUS. 
Chironectes marmoratus, Guv. & Veil. xii. p. 402 ; Gunther , Catal. iii. p. 185. 
Chironectes nesogallicus, Cuv. & Val. xii. p. 401. 
Antennarius raninus, Cantor , Catal. p. 292. 
D. 3 | 12. P. 10. A. 7. Vert. f. 
The variations in this species due to age or locality are so considerable that two specimens are 
very rarely found possessing complete similarity. The skin may be smooth, minutely or distinctly 
granulated : whilst the length of the third dorsal spine varies from one-half to less than one-third of 
the height of the body. 
The anterior dorsal spine is short, slender, and terminates in a small knob with a minute 
tentacle attached to it, which is sometimes very short, or it may be entirely absent: the second and 
third spines are fringed on their summits. The last dorsal ray, if laid backwards, extends to or 
slightly beyond the root of the caudal. 
Head and body with cutaneous tentacles, those at the angle of the mouth and on the abdomen 
being the largest. 
Colours—Vary, generally reddish yellow marbled with brown : and brown spots mostly edged 
with white radiate from the eye. Round white spots on sides, and abdomen. In some the fins 
are banded. Iris golden, with radiating brown lines. 
Habitat—Seas between the Tropics. 
* Antennarius nummifer. 
Chironectes nummifer, Cuv. & Val. xii. p. 425 ; Gunther , Catal. iii. p. 195. 
D. 3 | 12. P. 9-10. V. 5-6. A. 7. 
E 
