THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
2G1 
Head broad, pyramidal, becoming narrower towards an elongated muzzle, lips fleshy and 
surrounding a small mouth : a furrow extends from the orbit to the snout. Preopercle oblique. 
Intermaxillaries raised, prominent, and slightly triangular. Summit of head flattened, and having 
a central longitudinal keel passing upwards towards the first dorsal spine. Apertures of nostrils 
approximating, oval, and close to the anterior superior angle of the orbit, the posterior the largest 
and the most superior. 
Teeth—An external series of ten trenchant teeth, the central ones the longest ; in the upper 
jaw there are four tubercular teeth posterior to the anterior ten, the central pair of which are 
the longest. Tongue fleshy, small, without teeth. 
Fins—Dorsal, pectoral, and ventral arise on a line, of which the first dorsal is slightly in 
advance ; the second dorsal arises the width of the base of the first dorsal posterior to it ; the 
anal arises under the centre of the second dorsal. The first dorsal consists of one strong, long, 
triangular, roughened and moveable spine, which can be laid flat on the back ; the spines behind 
it are short, the first one-fourth the length of the spine, from whence they rapidly decrease. The 
second dorsal low, its upper margin parallel with the back, from its fourth to its sixth rays rather 
the highest: the space between the end of the fin and the commencement of the caudal equals the 
length of the base of the anal. Anal highest anteriorly, its lower margin concave, its third ray 
slightly the longest. Ventral formed of one strong spine, slightly shorter than that of the first 
dorsal, but of the same description; it can be raised at an acute angle to the body, or be received 
into a groove along the side of the abdomen. Caudal with deep lobes, each of which are rounded. 
Pectoral short, and rounded. v 
Scales—Small minute granules, which are covered with a mucous secretion : they are largest 
on the back, chest, and over the spine of the first dorsal and each of the ventral fins : on these 
last they gradually decrease in size towards their summits. 
Lateral line—Forms a curve to opposite the centre of the second dorsal, from whence it pro¬ 
ceeds direct to the centre of the caudal: at its origin another line arises which in front of the 
dorsal spine joins one from the opposite side. Another passes along the supraorbital margin to 
the front of the nostrils and along the muzzle; and a third along the inferior margin of the orbit, 
passing obliquely over which, and behind the mouth, it ascends to join a similar branch from the 
opposite side : a fourth branch passes a little in front of the gill openings, beneath which it forms 
a short arch backwards, and then proceeds obliquely downwards to the centre of the ventral groove. 
Colours—Back greyish shot with golden : abdomen of burnished silver. The lower half of 
the dorsal spine black, as is also the membrane betweeu it and the second and third spines, the 
outer edges of which are white. Fins greyish, dashed with yellow. Caudal tipped with yellow. 
Pectoral yellow. Eyes golden. 
Gill openings small, linear, slightly oblique, and situated just in front of the pectoral fins, their 
length hardly exceeding that of the orbits. 
Body rough to the touch, owing to which circumstance it has been named the “File fish.” 
Grows to nine inches and a half in length. Is not eaten. 
Habitat—Seas of India, Malaysia, China, and extending to Australia. 
