■ v-
(
i
e lev en ta lle r , m o re d is ta n t, s le n d e r ly s u b u la te , b u t n o t ve ry
a c u te te e th . F o r e h a l f o f th e lu a u d ib le a rm e d b y tw o
rows o f t e e l h ; th e o u te r vow c o n s is tin g o f te n o r eleven
c lo s e s e t low te e lh , h a v in g c om p re s s e d b u t n o t p o in te d
tip s ; th e in n e r row o f five o r s ix ta lle r o n e s , o f w h ic h th e
two o r th r e e p o s te r io r o n e s a re b e n t b a c k a u d a re m ore
a c u te . T h e p o s te r io r h a l f o f th e j a w is s e t with low b lu n t-
ish te e lh , a lte rn a tin g w ith o th e r s a little ta lle r, som ew h a t
re c u rv e d , a u d s ta n d in g a little w i t h i n ; b u t th e two se ts
a re so c lo s e th a t u n til ve ry n a rrow ly e x am in e d ih e v a p p e a r
to fo rm o n e u n e v e n row .
A s le n d e r sp e c ie s . P o s te r io r n o s tr ils n o t tu b u la r . U n d
e r jaw s h o r te r th a n th e u p p e r o ne . A n u s e x a c tly in th e
middle- o f th e le n g th . C o lo u r liv e r-b row n , fin e ly r e tic u la
te d b y g ra y ish -w h ite lin e s , fo rm in g sm a ll m e sh e s , w h ic h
a re ro u n d is h n e a r th e h e a d a n d sq u a r ish e ls ew h e re , b u t
th e y a re n o t v e ry v is ib le u n le s s wh en e x am in e d w ith th e
a id o f a le n s , th e g e n e r a l t in t a p p e a r in g to th e n a k e d eye
g r a y ish -b row n .
L e n g ih 6 '2 in c h e s . D is ta n c e b e tw e e n th e e n d o f th e
s n o u t a n d th e a n u s 3 T in c h e s . D is ta n c e from d itto to
g ill-o p e u in g 0-73 in ch .
H.ab. T o n g a I s la n d s (D r. M e W illiam ).
T h e o n ly sp o tle s s M i i r a n a , m e n tio n e d in S o la n d e r ’s
n o te s o f th e fish o b s e rv e d b y h im in th e S o u th S e a , is th e
.1/ . e r y th r o p te r a q u o te d be low .
M u r .e n a p a v o n in a . R ic h a rd so n .
-l/nrif7wpaw)ntHa,Richaidson, Voy. of Sulphur, p. 110, pi. 53, f. 1-6.
T e n o r twe lve m o d e r a te ly ta ll, s lig h tly re c u rv e d , a cu te ,
u n is e r ia l, n a s a l te e th , w ith a m in u te to o th in e a ch in te rv a l.
T h r e e te e th o n th e m e s ia l lin e , th e p o s te r io r tw o b e in g , as
u s u a l, th e ta lle s t in th e m o u th . T h e v om e rin e s e rie s , com m
e n c in g a t a c o n s id e r a b le d is ta n c e b e h in d th e s e , is c om p
o s e d o f five o r s ix a c u te te e th . P a la tin e te e th b is e r ia l;
s ix te e n o r s e v e n te e n in th e o u te r row , c om p re s s e d , s u b u la
te a n d a c u te ; w ith s ix t a ll, s le n d e r a n d a c u te o n e s , m ore
w id e ly s e t in th e in te r io r row , wh ich re a c h e s a b o u t h a lfway
a lo n g th e o u te r se rie s. E a c h lim b o f th e m a n d ib le is
a rm e d b y a b o u t n in e te e n s u b u la te , s lig h tly r e c u rv e d te e th ,
fo rm in g th e e x te r io r row , w ith a s e c o n d row a l th e fore
e n d o f th e lim b , com p o s e d o f four ta l l , s le n d e r, a c u te
te e lh .
B o d y h ig h a n d m u c h c om p re s s e d , with a b ro a d d o rsa l,
w h ich c om m e n c e s a t a c o n s id e r a b le d is ta n c e b e fo re th e
g ill-o p e n in g , a n d b e c om e s com p a ra tiv e ly ve ry na rrow a s it
ro u n d s th e e n d o f th e ta il to jo in th e a n a l. T h e g ill-
o p e n in g is o n e -s e v e n th o f th e wh o le le n g th d is ta n t from
th e e n d o f th e s n o u t, a n d th e v e n t is o n e -tw e n tie th o f th e
le n g th b e fo re th e m id d le o f th e fish . T h e p o s te r io r o p e n in
g s a re tu b u la r , fo rm in g lo n g b a rb e ls ; th e a n te r io r o n e s
a re m o r e sh o r tly so , a n d tw o p o re s a t th e e n d s o f b o th
jaw s a re a lso p ro lo n g e d in to s h o r t tu b e s .
C o lo u r p itc h -b la c k , v a rie d b y re g u la r ova l sp o ts , sh a d e d
with b row n . T h e sp o ts a re sm a lle r o u th e h e a d a n d fins.
L e n g th 9 ‘6 in c h e s . T o a n u s 4 '4 . T o g ill-o p e n in g V i
in c h .
H ab. S o u th e rn Seas.
T h is s p e c ie s w o u ld b e re a d ily d is tin g u is h e d from th e
C a lam a ia p a u n i o f R u s s e ll, o r p u n c ta ta o f S c h n e id e r , b y
th e form o f th e s p o ts , were th e y u n ifo rm ly a s la rg e a n d
r e g u la rly o v a l, a s in th e e x am p le fig u re d in th e ‘ I c h th y olo
g y ol th e V o y ag e o f th e S u lp h u r .’ B u t th e B r itis h
M u s e um p o s s e s s e s a d r ie d sk in o f a m u rre y m e a su r in g 2 7 ^
in c h e s , w h ic h h a s sm a ll ro u n d sp o ts , lik e R u s s e ll’s fish
a n d th e h ig h bai-bels a t th e ey e s o f p a v o n in a . I t s g en e ra l
a p p e a r a n c e c o r r e sp o n d s w ith th a t o f th e la tte r , b u t th e re
is on ly o n e row o f p a la tin e te e th , th o u g h th e m o u th b e in g
in ju r e d m a k e s it p ro b a b le th a t th e in te r io r row m ay have
b e e n b ro k e n aw ay .
M u r æ n a g u t t a t a . S o lan d e r.
Murena guttata. Banks et Solander, MSS. Icon. pict. Parkinson
11. 1. Bib. Banks. Low, Fishes of Madeira, Tr. Zool. Soc. ii. p, 192, ’
S o la n d e r , o n C o o k ’s f irs t v o y ag e , o b s e rv e d th is fish a t
M a d e ir a a n d R io J a n e iro , a n d drew u p th e d e s c r ip tio n
which is tra n s c r ib e d b e low , a n d P a rk in s o n m ad e a d raw in g
wh ich is p re s e rv e d in th e B a n k s ia n L ib ra ry . T h e sp e c ie s
doe s n o t a p p e a r , h ow ev e r, to h a v e b e e n a dm itte d in to our
sy s tem a tic w o rk s u n til th e R ev . M r. L ow p u b lis h e d i t in
th e Z oo lo g ic a l T r a n s a c tio n s , u n d e r a sp e c ific ap p e lla tio n
w h ich , th o u g h b o rrow ed from R is so , is h a p p ily th e same
with th a t o rig in a lly g iv en b y S o lan d e r. R is so ’s g u t ta ta is,
a c c o rd in g to th e P r in c e o f C a n in o , a v a rie ty o f h e len a
from which S o la n d e r ’s fish differs in its b is e r ia l p a la tin e
te e th . T h e M u roe n a g u t ta ta o f F o r s k a l a n d S c h n e id e r
h a s p e c to r a ls , a n d is th e H a lio p h is g u t ta tu s o f R iip p e ll.
“ M . g u t t a t a , p in n i s p e c to ra lib u s n u llis , p in n a d o r sa li
p ro p e c a p u t in c ip ie n te , c o ip o r e sp a d ic eo p u n c t i s a lb is g u t-
ta io . ‘ M o r e a ’ L u s i ta n i s M a d e r e n s ib u s . H a b i ta t a d in -
su la n i M a d e r am Oceano A tla n tic o , e iiam in P o r tu F lu v ii
S a n c t i J a n u a r i i in B r a s i l ia ." — “ C o rp u s lo n g um , p a r u m
compre ssum, n u d um p o n e c a p u t iu m id iu s c u lu m . C a p u t
p a r v u m , c o n ic um , a n tic e com p r e s sum . D e n te s in m a x illis
e t p a la to omne s d is c r e ti c o n ic o -su b u la ii, a c u tis s im i, m a ju s -
c u ii, luæ q u a le s : m a x i l læ in fe r io r is u n ic o o rd in e d isp o s iti,
J ì x i : m a x illæ s u p e r io r is d u p lic i s e r ie co llocati, e x te r io r e s
J i x i , in te r io r e s f l e x i l e s . P a la i i p a u c i m a jo r e s , f l e x i l e s .
O c u h m a ju s c u li c u te c a p ilis c om m u n i t e d i . P u p i l la n i g
r a . I r i s g r is eo -a rg en tea . A n n u lu s m a r g in a lis , g la u cu s.
N a r e s e x u n o u t r in q u e f o r a m in e p a r v o , rostro p ro p r io r e ,
tu buloso. T e n ta c u la q u a tu o r la n c e o la ta , compre ssa, hre-
v ia , d u o in a p ic e ro s tr i, d u o su p ra á n g u lo s a n iic o s oculo-
r u m . P o r i seu fo r um in a p a r v a 6 u tr in q u e in m a n d íb u la
su p e r io r e . P r im u s su b á n g u lo p o s tic o o c u li; se cu n d a s
su b á n g u lo a n tic o ; t e r tiu s su b n a r e ; q u a r tu s su b b a s i te n -
t a c u l i ; u l i s e x iu s pro p e a p ic em ro s tr i. P o r i s e x i n m a x i
l la infe i-iore , f e r e in eodem o rd in e d isp o s iti e t p roe ie r has
p o r u lis p l u r im i a d ip sam m a r g in em m a x illæ : ''
“ S p ir a c u lu m u n ic um u t r in q u e i n m ed io la te r e , moa-
p o n e c a p u t, o h longum, h o r izo n ta li. L in e a la te r a lis r e c ta ,
dorso p a u lo p ro p io r . A n u s c a p ite p a u lo p ro p io r . P in n a
u n ic a in ta to p is c e , c a rn o sa , c ra s s iu s c u la , c u te te n a c i iu -
d u ta , am b ie n s ( a p in n i s d o rsi, ca u dæ , u n iq u e coadun
a t i s ) , m o x p o n e c a p u t in c ip ie n s , d e in p e r to tum d o r sum
e x te n d itu r , c u i a d n e c iitu r e t ile r u n i su h tu s a d a n u m u s que
r e v e r titu r : ip sa c a u d a va ld è com p re ssa e st e t o h iu si-
“ Color to tiu s p is c is sp a d ic e u s , m a c u lis p a r v i s o hscurio-
r ib u s in e q u a lib u s s ed n o n tra n s v e r sa lib u s , e t p u n c t i s seu
g u ttis alb is n um e ro s is u n d iq u e a d sp e rsis."
“ Diam. L o n g . 30 u n c . P e rp e n d . 2 \ . H o r iz o n t. 1|-.”
N a s a l te e th in two s e rie s , so c lo s e ly a p p ro x im a te d th a t
tiiey a p p e a r, u n til n a rrow ly e x am in e ^ to b e in b u t one.
T h e o u te r row is c om p o s e d o f a b o u t n in e , ve ry sh o rt,
sto u tly su b u la te a c u te te e th , a lte rn a tin g w ith a n in n e r row
o f e ig h t ta lle r , c o n ic o -su b u la te , v e ry a c u te o n e s , w h ic h are
irre g u la r in h e ig h t, a n d v a rio u s ly re c u rv e d a n d re flex .
T h e m e sia l lin e o f th e d isk su p p o r ts th re e ta ll s to u tly s u b u
la te te e th , a n d o n e a c h s id e o f th e h in dm o s t o f th e s e
th e re is a to o th eq u a lly ta ll, a u d a lm o s t fillin g th e sp a c e
b e tw e en i t a n d th e m a rg in a l rows. T h e r e a re a lso se v e ral
sm a lle r ancl sh o r te r te e th s c a tte r e d ov e r th e d isk , so
th a t in th is s p e c ie s th e n a s a l b o n e is p r e - em in e n tly d en li-
ferous. Vom e rin e te e lh e lev en , u n is e ria l, sh o r t, a n d c om pre
ssed a t th e lip s , b u t n o t p o in te d . P a la tin e te e th
b is e r ia l; th e o u te r row c o n s is tin g o f f o u rte e n sh o rt, s lig h tly
re curved a n d re flex te e th , which d im in ish g ra d u a lly in siz e
from th e fifth o r ta lle s t to th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th : th e in n
e r row is some d is ta n c e from th e o u te r o ne , a n d re a c h e s
n e a rly a s fa r b a c k ; i t is fo rm e d b y e ig h t ta lle r a n d m o re
d is tan t su b u la te te e th . E a c h lim b o f th e m a n d ib le is
a rmed b y a b o u t tw e n ty -o n e a c u te te e th , a ll in o n e row ,
mostly r e c u rv e d ancl s lig h tly re fle x . T h e a n te r io r te e th
are r a lh e r th e lo n g e s t, b u t th e re is n o a b ru p t tr a n s itio n in
the series.
H e a d sm a ll, g a p e la rg e , w ith th e ey e p la c e d d e c id e d ly
before its m id d le . P o s te r io r n o s tr ils n o t tu b u la r . A n u s
e x a c tly in th e m id d le o f th e le n g th . T h e sp e c im e n is so
much stu ffed th a t th e o rig in o f th e d o rs a l c a n n o t b e m ad e
o ut, b u t p o s te r io r ly th e fin a p p e a r s to h a v e b e e n h ig h .
T h e an a l is suffic ien tly co n sp icu o u s .
T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r o f th e d rie d sk in is d a rk p u rp lis h -
brown, a n d it is r e g u la rly m a rk e d b y p a le ro u n d d o ts , th e
la rg e s t n o t e x c e e d in g th e s iz e o f th e h e a d o f a sm a ll p in .
T h e d o ts a rc b ig g e s t a n d m o s t c row d ed on th e h e a d a n d
fore p a r t o f th e b o d y , wh e re th e y o c c u p y fully m o re sp a c e
th a n th e g ro u n d c o lo u r. P o s te rio rly th e y a re f a r th e r ap a rt,
a n d are s u rro u n d e d b y d a rk b o rd e rs , a u d tow a rd s th e e n d
o f th e ta il th e y a re n o t on ly m o re d is ta n t b u t a lso d e c id e d ly
less. T h e y a re sm a lle r th ro u g h o u t th a n th e sp o ts o f
p u n c ta ta o f S c h n e id e r, a n d s till m o re so th a n th o s e o f
p a vo n in a .
L en g th 4 0 '2 5 in c h e s . T o a n u s 2 0 T 5 in c h e s . T o gill-
op en in g 5 '5 in ch e s.
ITa b . M a d e ira . B ra z ils .
M u r .e n a t h y r s o id e a . R ic h a rd so n .
Murcena thyrsoidea, Richardson, Ichth. of Voy. of Sulphur, p. I l l ,
pi. xlix. fig. 1. Report on the Fishes of China, to Brit. Association.
Tw e lv e n a s a l te e th in o n e s e rie s , m o d e ra te ly h ig h , r a th e r
closely s e t, c o n ic o -su b u la te , n o t ve ry a c u te . T h r e e ta ll.
s le n d e r te e th on th e m e sia l lin e . V om e rin e te e th b is e r ia l,
s h o r t, n o t v e ry a c u t e ; f irs t to o th o f e a c h row th e la rg e s t.
T h e row.s a re f a r th e s t a p a r t a n te rio rly , a n d a p p ro x im a te
p o s te rio rly . P a la tin e te e th b i s e r i a l ; th e o u te r row c o n s titu
te d b y te n m u c h s h o r te r c om p re s s ed te e th ; th e in n e r row
b y e ig h t more s le n d e r a n d ta lle r su b u la te o n e s , wh ich e x te
n d a s fa r a s th e o u te r row . E a c h lim b o f th e m a n d ib le
i s a rm ed b y e ig h te e n o r n in e te e n c o n ic a l a c u te te e th , w ith
a n in te r io r row a t th e fore e n d o f th e jaw.
B o d y h ig h a n d c o n s id e r a b ly c om p re s s e d , with a d e e p
d o rs a l w in ch c om m e n c e s b e fo re th e g ill-o p e n in g , th e lo o se
fold o f skin w h ic h in v e s ts i t e x te n d in g fo rw a rd s to th e
h e a d . E n d o f th e ta il ro im d e d . P o s te r io r n o s tr ils n o t
tu b u la r . T h e r e tic u la tio n s o f th e sk in a re c o a rs e r th a n in
m o s t o th e r sp e c ie s . A n u s o n e - th ir te e n th p a r t o f th e w h o le
len g th b e fo re th e m id d le o f th e fish.
T h e c o lo u r is a d a rk p u rp lis h -b row n , with ir r e g u la r z ig z
a g lin e s o f a p a le co lo u r, fo rm in g r e tic u la tio n s . T h e
fig u re in th e Ic h th y o lo g y o f th e V o y ag e o f th e S u lp h u r
w a s ta k e n from a d raw in g e x e c u te d u n d e r th e e y e o f Mr.
R e e v e s , a t C a n to n , b u t th e sp e c im e n p r e s e n te d b y th a t
g e n tlem a n to th e B r itis h M u s eum h a s m u c h c o a rs e r p a le
lin e s , w ith d ila ta tio n s a t th e p o in ts o f in te r s e c tio n .
L e n g ih 26 in c h e s . T o a n u s 11 in c h e s . T o g ill-o p e n in g
2 '6 in c h e s .
H ab. S e a o f C h in a . E s tu a r ie s .
M u r a ;n a s a t h e t e . H am ilt. B u ch an .
Murania sathete, Hamilton Bucli., Ganges p. 17 el p. 363. Icon.
Hardw. ined. No. 308, upper figure.
N a s a l te e th tw e lv e o r fo u rte e n in o n e m a rg in a l se rie s,
e a c h c u rv e d b a ckw a rd s so a c u te ly a s to fo rm a s lig h t n o tc h
in th e m id d le o f th e p o s te r io r s id e ; th e ir c u sp s b e in g
c om p re s s e d b u t n o t p o in te d . T w o s to u t c o n ic a l a n d n o t
a c u te te e lh s ta n d o n th e m e s ia l lin e o f th e d isk , a n d th e
v om e rin e le e lh a re d isp o s e d in two lin e s , w h ich co a le s c e
b e h in d , e a c h lin e c o n ta in in g s ix o r sev en sm a ll ro u n d e d
te e th , h e a d e d b y o n e la rg e r th a n th e r e s t. P a la tin e te e th
in two row s ; th e o u te r row com p o s e d o f twelve, sm a lle r
th a n th e n a s a l te e th , a n d m o re c lo s e ly s e t, b u t o f sim ila r
form a n d c u rv a tu re , h a v in g th e ir c u sp s , however,^ m ore
c om p re s s ed a n d a c u te e d g e d : th e in n e r row c o n ta in s ten
o r e lev en ta lle r a n d m o re s le n d e r c y lin d ric a l te e lh , with
a c u te b u t som ew h a t o b liq u e c u sp s . T h e m a n d ib le is a rm e d
on th e tw o p o s te rio r th ird s o f e a c h lim b b y e lev en o r
twe lve s im ila r to th e e x te r io r p a la tin e s , a n d o n th e a n te r io r
th ird b y two row s ; th e o u te r row c o n s is tin g o f e ig h t c o n ic
a l o r c y lin d ric a l a n d r a th e r o b tu s e te e th o n e a ch lim b ,
sm a lle r th a n th e la te ra l o n e s ; a n d th e in n e r row o f a b o u t
five r a th e r lo n g e r th a n th e la tte r , b u t s im ila r in form.
T ip o f th e ta il ro u n d e d . D o rs a l c om m e n c in g a b o u t
h a lf-w ay be twe en th e g ill-o p e n in g a n d th e n a p e . T h e c o lo
u rs o f th e sp e c im en in th e B r itis h M u s eum , wh ich is a
d rie d sk in , h a v e fa d e d , b u t th e d r aw in g e x h ib its a b rown
fish w ith d u ll y e llow th ro a t a n d b e lly . T h e la te ra l lin e is
s tro n g ly sh ow n b y a se rie s o f s ilv e ry d o ts , a u d th e d o rs a l is
gravivsh-purple. In th e d r ie d sk in some o f th e p o r e s
Q. 2