226 
THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
Genus DUSSUMIERIA, Val. 
Brancliiostegals, fifteen. Body rather long and compressed, the abdominal profile more curved than 
that of the back. Eyes, each with an adipose lid on either side. Cleft of mouth moderately wide. Upper 
jaw shorter than the lower. One moderately long dorsal, commencing about midway between snout and 
base of caudal. Ventral under centre of dorsal, anal behind it. Eine teeth in the jaws, on the tongue, 
the palatine and pterygoid bones: none on the vomer. Scales of moderate size, deciduous. Air vessel 
small. 
Dussumieeia acuta. 
Dussumieria acuta, Cuv. & Val. xx. p. 467 ; pi. 606; Cantor , Catal. p. 286. 
Koorie, Mai. 
B. 15. D. 19-21. P.14. V. 9. A. 14-17. 0.21. 
Length of head ^, of pectoral of caudal of base of dorsal of base of anal ^ of total 
length. Height of head R of body R of dorsal R,, of ventral ,0 of total length. 
Eyes—Upper margins close to the profile, having narrow adipose lids on each side of the 
orbits. Diameter nearly l t of length of head, and almost 1 diameter from end of snout. 
Body rather long and compressed, its thickness equals half its height. Upper hne of profile 
nearly straight, the lower much more convex. 
Mouth rather wide and slightly acute : lower jaw when closed a little the longest: the pos¬ 
terior extremity of the upper jaw reaches to below the anterior margin of the orbit. Opercle 
with the margins cut rather square, it is half as wide as high. Preopercle large, its angle rather 
produced. Subopercles small, a slightly elevated longitudinal crest from between the centre of the 
orbit to the snout. Abdominal edge smooth. Left branchiostegous membrane slightly overlaps 
the right. 
Teeth—In jaws in a single row, which are fine and very deciduous. A band of the same 
description on the palate. 
Fins—Dorsal arises midway between the anterior margin of the orbit and the base of the 
caudal: pectoral just under the opercle : ventral beneath the twelfth ray of the dorsal: anal 
about midway between the base of the ventral and the centre of the termination of the caudal. 
Dorsal with the first five rays single, the fifth and sixth the highest in the fin ; superior margin 
rather concave. Pectoral rounded, and situated in the lower fourth of body. Ventral pointed. 
Caudal deeply lobed. 
Scales—Small, and deciduous. 
Colours—Of a beautiful green, shot with blue. Upper margin of the opercle and along the 
back of a light blue, below which is a bronzed line, and below that again a silvery one, shot with 
pink. Caudal beautifully shot with blue, green, and gold. Upper siuface of head and eye 
emerald green. Pectoral, ventral, and anal white, except the first ray of the pectoral which has a 
little black on it. Dorsal yellowish green. End of snout greenish. Eyes white. 
Very common and excellent eating. Cantor says this species has been preserved a huile. It 
is termed a Sardine by the inhabitants and residents in Malabar. 
Habitat—Seas of India and Malaysia. 
