232 
THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
Genus PEISTIGASTEE, Cuvier. 
Branchiostegals, six. Body ratter elongated and compressed. Abdomen strongly toothed, mouth of 
moderate size, upper jaw shorter than the lower. Dorsal fin medial and very low : ventrals absent : anal 
elongated. Teeth on jaws, palatine and pterygoid bones, also on the tongue, but none on the vomer. 
Scales large or of moderate size. Air vessel either large and forked, with the horns prolonged on each 
side of the vertebrae into the coccygeal muscles, or else simple and oval. Pyloric appendages numerous. 
Pristigaster tartoore. 
Tartoore, Russell , pi. 193. 
Pristigaster tartoore, Cuv. & Val. xx. p. 328. 
B. vi. D. 13-17. P.13-15. A. - 5T _Vo. C. 21. L. 1. 50. Spines 28. 
Length of head above 1, of pectoral 1, of caudal ( 1, of base of dorsal y^, of base of anal \ 
of total length. Height of head 1, of body ^ of the total length. 
Eyes—With free orbital margins, diameter above y of the length of head, § of a diameter 
from end of snout, -y of a diameter apart. 
Body strongly compressed, its thickness being hardly ecpial to one fourth of its height. 
Superior profile rising as far as occiput, from whence it forms a very long and low curve as far as 
the caudal, whilst the extremity of the lower jaw forms a portion of the upper profile. Abdominal 
profile nearly straight. 
Mouth directed slightly upwards and forwards, the lower jaw the longest, the symphysis being 
extended beyond the portion forming the mouth, the upper jaw very short, the preorbital long and 
extended over the posterior portion of the maxilla when the mouth is closed. The maxilla wide, 
first directed downwards and slightly forwards, but opposite the angle of the mouth it expands 
into a wade oval plate directed backwards and extending as far as the anterior third of the orbit. 
Opercle triangular, ending in a soft point. A long triangular groove exists on the head, its apex 
being in front and its base at the occipital process, it has a small spine in the centre of its posterior 
margin, and one on either side. 
Teeth—A few fine distant teeth in the intermaxillaries and the central third of the lower jaw, 
none in the upper jaw where it forms a portion of the mouth, but the external edge of its lower 
limb is finely denticulated. A band of villiform teeth along the palatine bones, none on the vomer. 
Villiform teeth also on the tongue and pterygoids. 
Fins—Pectoral commences under the posterior margin of the end of the opercle; dorsal 
nearer the tail than the snout: anal opposite the end of the pectoral: from the throat to the 
commencement of the anal fin there are twenty-eight sharp spines along the lower line of the 
profile, which increase in length and strength posteriorly. Dorsal small and low. Pectoral 
pointed. Anal low. 
Scales—Smooth without striae. 
Lateral line—In single tubes in each scale, dividing and sub-dividing posteriorly. It ascends 
from the posterior margin of the opercle and is lost below the posterior end of the dorsal fin. A 
second lateral line passing direct to the centre of the caudal is just apparent. 
Colours—Superiorly yellowish-white shot with silver, becoming silvery beneath. Fins yellowish, 
caudal minutely dotted with black points, also some black dots on snout, upper surface of the 
head and along the upper margins of the opercles, which are silvery. 
Not common in Malabar. Grows to nine inches in length and is good eating. 
Habitat—Seas of India. 
