: ’ = | : i r i i | |
m f i ,
M U L L U S .
GENERIC CHARACTER.
Caput compressum, declive, squamis tectum.
Membrana branchiostega radiis tribus.
Corpus squamis magnis, fa cile decidids.
T h e head compressed, sloping, squamous.
T h re e rays in the branchial membrane.
T h e body covered with large scales,
easily falling off.
N o . C L V I I .
M u llu s cirris geminis sub menio; squamis magnis, ciliatis, décidais; maculis duabus ovalibus
supra lineam lateralem.
T h e M u l l u s w i t h tw o c i r r i u n d e r t h e c h i n ; l a r g e c i l i a t e d s c a l e s , a d h e r i n g l o o s e l y ; tw o
o v a l s p o t s a b o v e t h e l a t e r a l l i n e .
Mullus barbatus Linn. S. JL. p . 49 4.
Called b y t h e Natives R a h t e e G o o l i v i n d a .
B. iii. D . J . 9. P. 15. V. 6. A. 7. C. IS .
T h e body oblong, compressed, but somewhat roundish ; covered with large, orbicular scales, ciliate at the edge,
obliquely notched at the base, deciduous.
The bead large, declivous, compressed, somewhat angular ; rostrum obtuse, without scales, polished. Mouth
wide, lips thickish, loose. Jaws unequal; the upper arched, longer and broader, the under more extractile;
both set with regular, marginal, almost straight, teeth. Tongue sub-triangular, obtuse, smooth, fixed. Eyes
supreme, remote, orbicular, iris red. Nostrils very small, near the point of the rostrum, distant from the orbit.
Opercula consist of three unequal plates, the posterior with a membranous margin, and a small spine above
the pectoral fin. The branchial membrane covered ; the aperture large.
The cirri rise externally from beneath the os hyoides, not from the lower jaw.
The trunk. The back gently curve, convex, the sides compressed ; the breast and abdomen prominent, but
sometimes flat. The branchiæ four-leaved, the exterior tuberculate and pectinate; the others tuberculate. The
lateral line supreme, curves gently, almost parallel to the back. The anus small, nearly central.
T h e /K i. First dorsal scapular, triangular, spinous; the second lumbar, gently declining. The pectoral
nearly middle, acuminate at top ; the ventral distant from each other, as long as the pectoral, lanceolate ; the
anal fin of the same form as the opposite dorsal, but narrower ; the caudal bifid.
The colours extremely beautiful when the fish is alive, but quickly fade after death. The upper part of the
head of a dark purple, with some lines of light violet ; the cheeks pink, variegated with pale yellow, and waving
light-blue lines ; the lips reddish, with a dark spot at each corner of the mouth. The back a dark changeable
purple ; two oblong oval spots on the lateral line ; the first golden and white, glows as if illuminated, but less
permanent; the second nearer the tail, a very dark purple, forms a beautiful contrast. T he sides are faintly
purple, with azure lines running above the pectoral fin to the tail; but lower towards the belly, they run on a
changeable ground golden and white; the belly white, the throat white also, shaded with very faint pink.
The dorsal fins purple, streaked with light blue; the pectoral pink: the anal white and pink, with a few
cross streaks of straw-yellow: the ossicles of the caudal reddish purple, the membrane dark green.
Length ten inches, and seldom exceeds fourteen.
The red Mullet is rather a rare fish at Vizagapatam, and i
Mediterranean, or of England.
quality inferior to the red Mullet of the
N o . C L V I I I .
M u l l u s cirris duobus sub mento ; corpore squamis magnis suh-deciduis ; lineis luteis longiludi-
nalibus duabus ; pinna dorsi caudaque lineis obliquis transversis.
T h e M u l l u s with two cirri u nder the chin ; the body covered with large loose scales; two
yellow fillets on the sides, and oblique, cross lines on the dorsal and caudal fins.
Mullussurmuletiis Linn. S. J f. p . 496.
Called b y the Natives B a n d i G o o l i v i n d a .
B . iii. D.~S. 9. seu T . 8. P. 16. F. 6. A. 7. C. 18.
T h i s fish, except in colour, agrees in most circumstances with the former. The scales are less deciduous; and
the nostrils nearer the orbit. The body white; with two yellow fillets from the gills to the tail on each side,
the upper crossing the lateral line. The belly and breast a greenish white. The dorsal and caudal fins streaked
obliquely with white and dusky yellow fillets; the ventral and anal of a greenish white.
The lengtb seldom exceeds six inches.
This fish abounds in the river, but is in no estimation.