H is t io p t e r u s r e c u r v ir o s t r i s . R ic h a rd s o n .
P l a t e X X IL , fig s . 5 , 6 .
O f th is fish I h a v e re c e iv e d m e re ly a m u tila te d h e a d
from D r . W . P . J o n e s , S u rg e o n in th e R o y a l N a v y , to
whom i t w a s p r e s e n te d b y M r. M o ria rty , o f H o b a r t T ow n .
T h e s u b o p e rc u la , in te ro p e r c u la , a n d m o s t o f th e o p e rc u la
h a v e b e e n b ro k e n away, b u t th e p a r ts w h ic h rem a in a g re e
so p e r f e c tly w ith th e c o rre sp o n d in g p a r ts o f H is tio p te r its
t y p u s , fig u re d in th e fo rty -fifth p la te o f th e F a u n a J a p ó n
ic a , th a t I h a i'e n o h e s ita tio n in a s s ig n in g i t to t h a t gen u s.
I t is a v e ry d is t in c t s p e c ie s from t y p u s , h a v in g a m u c h
m o re e lo n g a te d a n d co n c a v e m u z z le . I n ty p u s , th e p ro file
a s c e n d s from th e u p p e r lip to th e g ib b o u s o rb ita l p la te
o f th e f ro n ta l b o n e , a t a n a n g le o f 4 5 ’ , a n d th e p r o p o r tio
n a lly sm a lle r ey e is d ir e c tly o v e r th e low e r lim b o f th e
p r e o p e rc u lu ra , th e p o s te r io r lim b o f th a t b o n e b e in g v e rtic
a l, w h e re a s in r e c u r r ir o s tr is i t s lo p e s g r e a tly fo rw a rd s
in d e s c e n d in g from th e tem p le . T h e r e la tiv e p o s itio n o f
th e n o s tr ils is th e s am e in b o th , a s a re a lso th e b o n y p la te s
a n d in te rm e d ia te c u tic u la r , o r s c a ly sp a c e s , b u t in t y p u s
tb e g r a n u la tio n s o f th e p la te s ru n in co a rs e , r a d ia tin g ,
c o n c e n tr ic , o r p a r a lle l r id g e s , w h ile in r e c itr v iro s tr is , th e
ro u g h p o in ts p r e s e rv e n o d e te rm in a te o rd e r, e x c e p t o n th e
p re o p e r c u lum , w h e re th e y a re o b s c u re ly ra d ia te , a n d on
th e o p e rc u lum , w h e re th e ir c o u rs e appeai-s to b e in p a r a lle l
lin e s , b u t th e p a t te rn s a re v e ry d iffe re n t from th o s e o f
ty p u s . T h e s h a g g in e s s o f th e t ip o f th e c h in o f th e
l a t te r is n o t p e r c e p tib le in r e c u r v iro s tr is . T h e te e th o f
o u r s p e c ie s a re c o a rs e ly s e ta c e o u s , in b ro a d , d en s e ly -
c row d e d b a n d s , a n d a re e a s ily b ro k e n , w h e n e a c h is se en
to b e tr a v e r s e d b y a fin e c e n tra l c a n a l. I r e c e iv e d n o o th e r
in fo rm a tio n re s p e c tin g th e form o f th e sp e c ie s , e x c e p t th a t
i t w a s a v e ry e x tra o rd in a ry fish.
H a b . C o a s t o f V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d ; v e iy ra re . T h e
s p e c im e n was c a u g h t in a n e t in o n e o f th e in le ts o f S to n n
B a y , b y som e fish e rm e n , a n d c a r r ie d b y th em to M r. M o r
ia r ty , a s a fish w h ic h th e y h a d n e v e r se e n be fore .
A l e p is a u r u s . Lowe .
P l a t e X X I I ., figs. 1, 2 , 3 , 4.
T h e R e v . M r. L ow e , o f M a d e ira , h a s d e s c r ib e d a u d
fig u re d a S c om b e ro id fisb , ta k e n o n th e c o a s ts o f th a t
is la n d , u n d e r th e n am e o f A le p is a u r u s f e r o x . I h a v e h a d
a n o p p o r tu n ity o f e x am in in g th e h e a d o f o n e o f h is sp e c
im e n s , p r e s e rv e d in th e m u s e um o f th e P h ilo s o p h ic a l
In s t i tu t io n o f C am b rid g e , a n d h a v e b e e n th e r e b y e n a b le d
to a s s ig n to th e s am e g e n u s a fra gm e n t o f a sk u ll, o b ta in e d
b y D r . H o o k e r from M r. G u n n , o f V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d ,
a n d s a id to b e lo n g to a fish w h ic h was ta k e n o n th e c o a s ts
o f th a t c o lo n y . I t is a d is tin c t sp e c ie s from f e r o x , from
w h ic h i t d iffe rs in th e m o re b a c kw a rd p o s itio n o f th e eye,
th e g ib b o s ity o f th e p ro file b e fo re th e o rb it, a n d th e g e n e r
a lly g r e a te r h e ig h t o f th e u p p e r jaw .
T h e b o n e s o f th e sk u ll a re th in , tr a n s p a r e n t a n d p a p e ry ,
a s is th e c a s e in g e n e r a l am o n g th e Scomheridce. T h e
fro n ta l b o n e lo o k s a lm o s t m em b ra n a c e o u s from its d e lic a c y
a n d tra n s p a re n c y , b u t i t is s tr e n g th e n e d b y a c u te rib s ,
wh ich r a d ia te from a p o in t ov e r th e m id d le o f th e o rb it.
a n d n e a r to i t s e d g e . T h e s h o r te s t r a y s p ro c e e d d ir e c tly to
th e ed g e o f th e o rb it, th e lo n g e s t r u n fo rw a rd s tow a rd s th e
n o s tr ils , w h ile th o s e o f m e d ium le n g th g o inw a rd s to th e
m e s ia l lin e , a n d b a c kw a rd s to th e o c c ip u t. T h e tw o fro n ta ls
m e e t in a s tr a ig h t m e s ia l lin e o n th e to p o f th e h e a d , a n d th e
sp a c e b e tw e en th e o rb its i s fla ttish , w ith a s lig h t d e c lin a tio n
o f th e ed g e o f th e o rb it. T h e o th e r b o n e s o f th e h e a d are
s im ila rly fo rm e d o f r ib s ru n n in g th ro u g h th e ir tr a n s p a r e n t
p la te s . S le n d e r in te rm a x illa r ie s form th e whole u p p e r
b o rd e r o f th e m o u th , a n d a re a rm e d from e n d to e n d with
sm a ll su b u la te te e tli, w h ic h a re s lig h tly u n e q u a l in h e ig h t,
a n d d o n o t lie e x a c tly in o n e lin e . T h e p a la te b o n e s
su s ta in lo n g , th in , la n c e t- s h a p e d te e th , s lig h tly c u rv e d
b a c kw a rd s , o n e p a ir o n e a c h b o n e s ta n d in g we ll fo rw a rd s
n e a r th e n o s trils , a n d a n o th e r p a i r f a r th e r b a c kw a rd s , b u t
b e fo re th e e y e . T h e r e is a to o th le s s sp a c e b e tw e en th e s e
p a ir s , a n d a lso be fore th e f ir s t p a ir , t h e r e b e in g n o te e th on
th e c h e v ro n o f th e v om e r. B e h in d th e s e c o n d p a i r th e re
a re t e n sh o r te r la n c e o la te te e th o n e a ch p a la te b o n e , in c
re a s in g a little in s iz e tow a rd s th e c om e r o f th e m o u th .
T h e low e r jaw is a rm e d w ith a p a ir o f lo n g lan c e o la te
te e th , fittin g to th e to o th le s s sp a c e b e tw e e n th e p a ir s o f
tb e u p p e r jaw , a n d b e h in d , b y tw e lv e s h o r t o n e s . A n te rio
rly th i s j a w is fu rn ish e d w ith su b u la te le e lh , c o n s id
e r a b ly la rg e r a n d more w ide ly s e t th a n th o s e o f th e in te r m
a x illa rie s . A p a i r o f s till ta lle r s u b u la te te e th s ta n d s
c lo se to th e sym p h y s is . T h e lo n g la n c e o la te tc e tli h av e
s lig h tly c o n v e x l a t e r a l su rfa c e s , w ith a th in b o rd e r , a p p a re
n tly o f m o re c om p a c t b o n e , w h ich sh ow s a fe e b le c re n a -
tu r e o n th e ed g e , w h e n e x am in e d th ro u g h a le n s . T h e
su rfa c e o f th e to o th , e x c e p t th e e x tr em e e d g e , se em s to b e
r e tic u la te d . A ll th e s e te e th a re a t firs t r e c um b e n t a lo n g
th e j aw , a n d a s sum e th e e r e c t p o s itio n a s th e o ld e r te e th
a re b ro k e n , a n d re q u ir e to b e r e p la c e d . I n fig u re 2 , th e two
an te rio r s u b u la te te e th a re r e p r e s e n te d in th is p o s itio n , as
th e y a c tu a lly e x is te d in th e s p e c im e n , w hile in fig u re 1
th e y a r e sh ow n e re c t, b e c a u s e th e a d jo in in g o n e s we re
b ro k e n . S e v e ra l la n c e o la te t e e th , b o th lo n g a n d sh o rt,
were a lso la id a lo n g th e jaw w h en th e sp e c im e n was first
e x am in e d . T h e p re o p e rc u lum is v e rtic a l, w ith a s lig h t
cu rv e , a n d w ith o u t a n y h o r iz o n ta l lim b . I t s fore e d g e is
a s tro n g , r ib b e d r id g e , i t s d is k th in , p a p e ry , a n d r a d ia te d ,
a s in th e figure. T h e r e s t o f th e o p e rc u la r b o n e s vvere
b ro k e n off. T h e g ill-m em b ra n e lie s b e tw e e n th e lim b s o f
th e lowe r jaw , a n d c o n ta in s sev en ray s .
H a b . C o a s t o f V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d .
R a ia l e m p r i e r i . R ic h a rd so n .
P la t e X X I I I ., h a l f th e n a tu r a l siz e .
T h i s r a y h a s re c e iv e d its sp e c ific n am e in c om p lim e n t
to D e p u ty A s s is ta n t C om m is s a ry -G e n e ra l F . J . L em p rie re ,
to w h o s e e x e r tio n s th e Ic h th y o lo g y o f V an D iem e n ’s L a n d
is m u c h in d e b te d . I t is n e a r ly a llie d to th e l la ia n a s u ta ,
o f w h ich a fig u re b y P a rk in s o n e x is ts in th e c o lle c tio n
o f d raw in g s fo rm ed b y S ir J o s e p h B a n k s , o n C ook’s first
v o y ag e , a n d now in th e B r itis h M u s eum . T h e m o s t s tr ik in
g d iffe re n c e b e tw e e n th em is in th e s h o r te r sn o u t o f
lem p r ie r i, fo rm in g m e re ly th e a p e x o f th e rh om b o id a l
a n te r io r h a l f o f th e d isk , a n d n o t ta p e rin g to a p o in t, a s in
n a s u ta , w hose d isk is b o u n d e d an te rio rly b y co n c a v e line s.
I n th is a lso th e la te r a l c a u d a l s p in e s a re n e a r ly a s u n ifo rm ly
la rg e as th e m e d ia l o n e s , th u s fo rm in g th r e e rows, w h ich
ru n fa r th e r u p th e h a c k th a n in lem p r ie r i. .
D isk rh om b o id o 'o v a le : th e sn o u t n o t p ro je c tin g b e y o n d
th e an g le o f th e rh om b , b u t s lig h tly p o in te d th ro u g h an
u n d u la tio n in th e fore e d g e o f th e d isk , w h ic h ro u n d s off
la te ra lly in to th e o v a le p o s te r io r h a lf. I t s b r e a d th is in
p ro p o rtio n to its le n g th , e x c lu s iv e o f th e v e n tra ls , a s 6 to
6 -5 . T a il d e p re s s e d , f la t b e n e a th , ro u n d e d ab o v e , w ith a
fa in t in d ic a tio n o f a b lu n t m e s ia l rid g e , tb e s id e s s lo p in g
m in u te fo ld o f skin. T h e tip o f th e ta il is a c u te , a n d is
r e g io n s o f th e s n o u t a n d th e edge.s o f th e p e c to r a ls a re
f le sh -c o lo u re d , a n d th e u n d e r su rfa c e is a lm o s t w h o lly
w hite . , .
L e n g th o f sp e c im e n , n in e te e n in c h e s .
H ab. P o r t A r th u r , V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d .
U r o l o p h u s e p h i p p i a t u s . R ic h a rd s o n .
P la te X X IV ., a b o u t tw o - th ird s o f th e n a tu r a l s iz e .
O u tlin e o f th e d is k rh om h o id o -o v a l, som ew h a t b ro a d e r
p o r tio n o f th e d isk . T h e h in d e r c om e r ot th e p e c -
m n d e r e in ta e 'e - rd 'g e d h T L 'la tem f - c u tie u - laV m a rg in s , a n d to ra l is m o re d e e id e d ^ ^ i
t h e s c a r e l y m o r c d e m l o p e d e a u d a l f l n o n ^ w i tL m t h e 'a p i c u l n s ’ o f
fe re io h e o f th e v e n tr a ls , h y tire p o s te r io r c om e r s o f .h e i y “ V " t d e - e « d te e th .
pe c to ra ls.
T h e tip
th e ch e ek s, th e a n te r io r b o rd e r s o f m e m sn ,’ m e r-. to p oi u ie u i t vUovwtoíflv ii»a........ «i>Tis V b n " ih lo nm tn d in a llv a n n n d d la la te le ra r a lly llv
.
h e a d , m id d le lin e o f th e b a c k , a n d u p p e r su rfa c e o f th e v e rtic a l d iam e te r le s s e n s
ta il, ; i t h th e d o rs a l fins, a re th ic k ly s e f w ith fin e p r ic k le s , T h e ey e s a re o f m o d e ra te “ f ’
wh ich p o in t b a c kw a rd s . T h e c u tic u la r sp a c e b e tw e e n a sp e c t. a n d a re
th e p e c L r a ls a n d s n o u t, th e flan k s , th e p o s te r io r h a lf o f th e sp o u t h o le s , wh ich th e
p e c to ra ls , w ith th e e x c e p tio n o f a sm a ll p a tc h , th e v e n lra ls , w id e s t b e h in d . A sm a ll l al ' s t „ f its lin in g is
L d th e whole u n d e r L r f a c e o f th e *^fish, a re sm o o th , sp o u t-h o le from ■. a o rb .ta h S a s S ^ h t fte e
^ s : Y : L S o T . ; e r r a r r i i ^ e d T s ° i “d“ f^^^^
; h L ° S 1 r e ? L .d e Y a n d i t s h r id l e s p |n g s f r o n i^ .h o m
n um e r a l c a riiia g e , am i a i u n , u cgm - la.ct.. .-.c ..v.— -— u , , , is shoivn in two
n in g a t th e p e lv is , ru n s d ow n th e m id d le o f th e t a il, h a v in g o f th e u p p e r lip I n th e p fo te th e -
an a lte rn a te d ire c tio n to r ig h t a n d le ft, n o t sh ow n in th e p o s itio n s , wh en h a n g in g dovsn, a n d ^ h e n “ ^ « n np- A
figure. T h e r e a re a lso some s c a tte r e d la rg e r s p in e s o n th e sm a ll ro u n d e d lo b e p iq ic c ts m to th e n a s a l o ^ em n g from
s ide s o f th e ta il am o n g th e sm a lle r o n e s , b u t n o c o n tin u o u s its u n d e r b o rd e r . F o ld s o r s tre a k s a re d isp o s e d
la te ra l rows, su c h a s a p p e a r in th e fig u re o f R a ia „ a s u ta , d o u b ly p e c tin a te d o rd e r o n th e Im m g o U h e n o s ti.ls
above r e f e rre d to. O m sp e c im e n e x h ib its tw o row s o t W h e n th e m o n th , s g en tly o p en , th e J « " « »
ve .r.y... ..a..c..u...t. e .s„p1i,n.e. .s , .e.a„c1h. e n c lo s e d in a s h e a th a u d opooiionttiirnmg o t tra n sv rs ai
me siad , s itu a te d in th e w id e s t p a r t o f th e d isk , a l ittle way
from th e ed g e . T h e s e a re p ro b a b ly p e c u lia r to th e m a le
in th e sp aw n in g s e a so n . T h e n a s a l flap , a s is u su a l in th e
g en u s , is a d n a te in tb e m id d le , w ith a fre e ro u n d e d lo b e a t
e a ch n o s tril, s e t with a s h o rt fringe . T h e n o s tr il is c a p a b le
o f b e in g c lo s e d b y th e e x p a n s io n o f a lo o se fold from its
o u te r b o rd e r. C le ft o f th e m o u th m o d e ra te ly a r c h e d fo rw
a rd s, a n d p r e tty wid e . T h e te e th a re ro u n d d isk s, w ith
a c e n tra l c o n ic a l c u s p , b u t o n th e low e r jaw m a n y o f th e
c u sp s a re w o rn aw ay . B o th th e s e fo rm s o f te e th a re
shown m ag n ified in th e p la te .
T h e tip o f th e sn o u t a b o v e a n d be low , a n d th e p o in t o f
th e ta il b e n e a th , a re b l a c k : th e g e n e r a l c o lo u r o f th e
u p p e r su rfa c e o f th e fish is b la c k ish -g r e y ; th e la te r a l
o c c u p y
th e e n tire b o rd e r s of” th e 'tr a n s v e r s e o r s lig h tly a r c h e d
r ic tu s , th e te e th ro llin g a little fa r th e r o u t in th e m id d le o f
th e low e r jaw . In d iv id u a lly th e te e th a re rh om b o id a l,
w ith th e tra n sv e rs e d iam e te r r a th e r e x c e e d in g th e lo n g itu
d in a l o n e , a n d h a v in g a fla t o r s lig h tly tum id d isk , w ith o
u t r id g e s . E d g e o f th e u p p e r v e lum s tr a ig h t, a n d im e ly
frin g e d , lik e th e n a s a l flap. L ow e r v e lum fu rn ish e d with
th r e e o r m o re soft, sm o o th , c o n ic a l p a p illæ , w h ic h d is a p p
e a r a s th e in te g um e n ts a re m o v e d o r s tr e tc h e d . M a n y
p o r e s w h ic h e x i s t in th e d isk a n d ta il a re sh ow n in th e ir
p ro p e r p o s itio n s in th e fig u re . .
G e n ita l c a n a l tra n sv e rs e ly p la ite d , th e t a p e n n g c o rn u a ol
th e u te ru s sh a g g y , with lo n g , filam en to u s , c row d e d v ilh .
L iv e r la rg e , a n d w h en th e b e lly is s lit u p , n e a rly co n c e a lin g
th e in te s tin e s , g r a n u la r , a n d d iv id ed in to two o \ ^ l lo b e s b y