THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
173 
zontally to the centre of the caudal on to which fin it is continued. The depth between the lateral 
line—-just posterior to the end of its curve—and the anal flip equals the distance from the anterior 
extremity of the snout to the centre of the base of the pectoral. 
Colours—Left side reddish brown, with the base of each scale rather darker than its margin, 
and numerous black spots irregularly scattered over the body. Opercles and anterior third of the 
abdomen of a dull neutral tint; fins finely dotted with brown. Iris silvery, brown along its upper 
margin. Left side whitish or stained with light brown, bluish anteriorly. 
Grows to upwards of a foot in length. Not common. Is eaten by the Natives. 
Habitat—From the east coast of Africa through the Seas of India, Malaysia, and China to 
Australia. 
Genus SYNAPTURA, Cantor. 
Achiroides, Bleeker. 
riEsopiA, euryglossa et eurypleura, Kaiqo. 
Branchiostegals, six: pseudo brand) i ae. Body compressed, flat, right side coloured. Eyes on right 
side, the upper in advance of the lower. Cleft of mouth narrow, twisted round to the left side. No 
dilated nostril on left side. Teeth small only on the left side, none on vomer or palate. Vertical fins 
confluent. Pectoral fin on both sides. Scales ctenoid, small. Lateral line straight. 
SynAptura FOLIACEA. 
Solea foliacea, Bichardson , Icli. China, p. 279. 
Synaptura foliacea, Gunther, Catal. iv. p. 481. 
Sappatee, Mai. 
B. vi. D. 62. P.7. V. 6. A. 46. C. 15. L. 1. 75. 
Length of head 4, of right pectoral T X g, of caudal of base of dorsal §, of base of anal § of 
total length. Height of head x , of body |, of dorsal A* of anal A, of ventral A of total length. 
Eyes—Upper eye ^ a diameter in advance of the lower : lower orbit just above the level of 
the angle of the mouth, to which half of it is posterior. Diameter ^ of length of head, 1| diameters 
from end of snout, and nearly 1 diameter apart. 
Mouth cleft to beneath the posterior extremity of the superior orbit, it is narrow and twisted 
round to the left side. Upper jaw the longest, overlapping the lower. Interorbital space concave. 
From the anterior angle of the upper orbit is a raised ridge, which is continued two-thirds of the 
distance to the end of the snout, terminating just above the upper lip. Snout sharp. The poste¬ 
rior aperture of the nostrils a little in front of the lower orbit, the anterior a little before it and 
tubular. Lower lip of right side fleshy. 
Teeth—Fine, and only apparent on the left side. 
Fins—Dorsal commences over the centre of the superior orbit, and terminates close to the 
base of the caudal; the anal arises just behind the ventral, and is also continued to the base of the 
caudal. Right pectoral short rounded, and equal to a third the length of the head; left pectoral 
rather shorter. Caudal wedge-shaped. Ventral short. 
Scales—Strongly ctenoid, extending over the body, head, dorsal, anal, and caudal fins : largest 
in size along each side of the lateral line nearly as far as the head, but for the external fourth of the 
body very much smaller. 
