V e ep P sam m o p e r c a d is tin c t, w ith o u t v e n tu r in g to d e c id e
w h e th e r th e g ro u p o u g h t lo b e c o n s id e re d a s o f g en e ric
v a lu e , o r, a s C u v ie r h a s d o n e in s im ila r c a s e s , m e re ly a s a
m in o r d iv is io n . T h e b lu n t g r a n u la r form o f th e m in u te
te e lh , th e fo rm a n d s tru c tu r e o f th e p r e o p e rc u lum , th e
s c a h n e s s o f its im p e rfe c t in fe rio r d is k , a n d th e d e e p n o tc h
o f I ts d o rs a l, a re its m o s t o b v io u s e x te rn a l d iffe ren c e s fi-om
C e n tro p r is te s .
T h e fo llow in g is a sum m a ry o f th e p r in c ip a l c h a ra c te rs
of P sam m o p e r c a .
P is c is a c a n th o p te r y g iu s e f a m i l i â P e r c id a rum .
DenX.es. p r e m a x il la r u m , m a n d ib u lc e , vom e r is , o s s ium q u e
p a l a t i n i im i l i , r o tu n d a t i , n um e r o s is s im i, c o n fe r ti: c a n in i
n u lli.
O s p r e o rb ita le in te g e r r im u m , s im u l ac n a s u s e t m a n d
íb u la p o ro sum , s q u am is q u e c a r en s . M a x illæ p a r t im
s q u am is m in u t i s te c ta . G e n æ o p e r c u la q u e p ro r su s sq u a -
P ræ o p e r c u lum disco in f e r io r i a r c to sq u am is e x ig ía s te -
n e r i s te c to , m a r g in e q u e in te g e r r im o m u n i tu m ; a n g u lo q u e
e ju s t n s p in am a c u tam d e c u r r e n ti : lim b o q u e e r e c to a c u te
p e c lin a to -d e n ta to . O p e rc u lum sp in a g r a c i li , s o lita r ia a r -
m a tu m , lobo m em b ra n a c e o d e sin en s.
A n u s m e d ia n u s .
S q u am æ p te n o id eoe , b a s i f la b e lla tim s u l c a ta . L in e a l a te
ra lis a n tic è a r c u a ta .
C o rp u s com p r e s sum , a la te r e e llip tic um .
Os h u m il e , te rm in a le .
M em b ra n a b r a n c h io s te g a r a d iis s e p tem s u s te n ta ta .
P in n a d o rs i p r o fu n d é em a r g in a ta , s p in i s v a lid is , a q u e
a c p in n a a n i in th e c â sq u am o sa mov ens. P in næ v e n tris
s u b - a x i l la s p in n a r u m p e c to r is posiUe ; s q u am is longis,
c om p o s a is e x t r a in te r q u e f u l l a . P in n a c a u dæ v a ld è ro tu
n d a ta . M em b r a næ om n ium p in n a r u m s q u am is te n e r is
a r c tè a p p r e s s is o b v e ln ia ; p r a t e r m em b r a n am s p in a s d o rsi
in l e r p o s i la m in q u a s q u a m a o r d in a ta j u x i a s p in a s ta n tu
m a d s u n t.
P sa m m o p e r c a d a t n io id e s . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— B . 7 ; D . 8 |1 2 ; A. 3 |9 ; C. IS^-; P . 1 5 ; V . l |5 .
P la t e L V I I ., figs. 1, 2,
B o d y c om p r e s s e d , p ro file e llip tic a l, i t s h e ig h t a b o u t th e
m id d le r a th e r e x c e e d in g a fo u rth o f th e le n g th o f th e e n tir
e fish . T h e l e n g th o f t h e h e a d is m o re e x a c tly a q u a r te r
o f th e to ta l le n g th . O rific e o f th e m o u tli r a th e r sm a ll, low
a n d te rm in a l. T h e p ro file r is e s e v e n ly , a n d w ith a s lig h t
c o n v e x ity , a t a n a n g le o f 87® from th e tip o f t h e s n o u t to
th e b e g in n in g o f th e d o rs a l, wh ich is a t th e f ir s t th ird o f
th e w h o le le n g th o f th e fish ; a n d g ra d u a lly jo in s th e a rc h
o f th e b a c k , w h o s e sum m it is tow a rd s th e e u d o f th e
sp in o u s d o r s a l, o r a ve ry l ittle b e fo re th e m id d le o f th e
fish , c a u d a l in c lu d e d . T h e cu rv e o f th e b e lly is m u ch
m o re fla t a n te r io r ly , b u t p o s te r io r to th e a n u s th e a s c e n t
to th e t ru n k o f th e ta il is e q u a l to th e d e s c e n t o f th e ba ck .
H e ig h t o f th e ta il b e tw e en th e th r e e v e r tic a l fin s co n ta in e d
tw ic e a n d o ne h a lf in th e greatCvSt h e ig h t o f th e b o d y .
O rb it p la c e d n e a r th e p ro file , o v a l a n d r a lh e r la rg e , its
g r e a te r a x is b e in g e q u a l in le n g ih to o n e -fo u rth p a r t o f th e
le n g th o f th e h e a d . F o r e h e a d b e tw e e n th e o rb its fla t, n o t
e q u a l in w id th lo th e v e rtic a l d iam e te r o f th e eye. N o s tr
ils , two ro u n d o p e n in g s on e a c h s id e , in a sm o o th m em b
r a n e , w h ic h r e a c h e s from th e o rb it to th e e n d o f th e
sn o u t, th e p o s te r io r a n d la rg e r o p e n in g b e iu g c lo se to th e
e y e , a n d th e a n te r io r o n e n e a r th e fore c o rn e r o f t h e p r e o
rb ita r . M o u th r a th e r sm a ll, c le ft h o r iz o n ta lly to b e n e a th
th e fo re p a r t o f th e ey e . P r em a x illa r ie s s lig h tly p ro tr
a c tile . M a x illa ry s to u tis h , d ila tin g g ra d u a lly towa rds
th e low e r e n d , w h ic h is tru n c a te d , p a s s e s th e c o rn e r o f the
m o u th , a n d m o v e s ov e r th e lim b o f th e low e r j a w : i t d oe s
n o t g lid e u n d e r th e p r e o rb ita r , a n d its p o s te r io r c o rn e r is
c lo th e d with m in u te sc a le s. Pi ven fla ttish b a n d s o f m in u te
ro u n d ish o r g r a n u la r te e th arm th e j aw s , v om e r, a n d ed g e s
o f th e p a la te b o n e s . T h e d e n ta l b a n d o f th e in te r-m a x il-
la r ie s is b ro a d e s t, a n d a l ittle co n v e x , a n d th e m o re e x te r io r
te e th a re a l ittle la rg e r th a n th e in te r io r one s. On th e u n d
e r j a w th e b a n d is m u c h narrow e r, w h ile o n th e sm a ll
th re e -c o rn e re d ch e v ro n o f t h e vom e r, a n d th e ed g e s o f the
p a la te b o n e s , th e te e th a re s till m o re m in u te , b u t h a v e th e
sam e g r a n u la r form. R o o f o f th e m o u th p la ite d p o s te rio
rly .
P r e o rb ita r m e n is c o id , w ith a s lig h tly c o n v e x e n tire ed g e ;
I ts d isk is w id e s t u n d e r th e p o s te r io r n o s tril. R e s t o f th e
s u b o rb ita r c h a in ve ry na rrow . T h e s c a ly in te g um e n t te r m
in a te s in a c o n v e x lin e b e tw e e n th e e y e s ; th e sn o u t,
w h o le o f t h e s u b o rb ita r c h a in a n d lowe r jaw b e in g cov e red
b y p o ro u s sk in . T h e c h e e k a n d g ill-p ie c e s a re w holly
sc a ly . B e tw e en th e cu rv e o f th e p re o p e r c u lum a n d th e
ey e th e r e a re a b o u t e ig h t row s o f sc a le s , a n d a lso seve ra l
row s o n th e in te r -o p e r c u lum , w h ic h gi-aduate in to sm a lle r
s c a le s on th e a d jo in in g b a s e s o f th e g ill-ra y s . T h e sc a le s
o f th e o p e rcu lum a lm o s t eq u a l th o s e o f th e b o d y in size.
Sm a ll te n d e r s c a le s c o v e r th e low e r lim b o f t h e p r e o p e r cu
lum , a ve ry n a rrow lin e o f m em b ra n e sh ow in g o b s c u re ly
b e n e a th th em . W h e n th e in te g um e n t is rem o v ed , th e u n d
e r lira b o f th is b o n e is se e n to b e com p o s e d o f tw o th in ,
e v e n , e d g e s o f b o n e , with a d e e p fun-ow b e tw e en , a n d
som e p i t s in th e b o ttom o f th e furrow. T h e u p p e r lim b o f
th e b o n e is s tro n g ly a n d a c u te ly to o th e d in a v e ry re g u la r
p e c tin a te m a n n e r, th e te e th d e c r e a s in g g ra d u a lly in s iz e a s
th e y r e c e d e b o th ways from th e m id d le o f th e se rie s. T h e
an g le o f th e b o n e is p ro lo n g e d in to a sh o r t, fla t, sp in o n s
p o in t, b e tw e en w h ic h a n d th e low e s t to o th o f th e u p p e r limb
th e r e is a sm a ll ro u n d e d n o tc h fille d w ith m em b ra n e . A
so lita ry , sle n d e r, su b u la te sp in e p ro je c ts from am o n g th e
s c a le s o f th e u p p e r p a r t o f th e o p e rc u lum , th e lo b u la r tip
o f th e g ill-co v e r a n d th e n a r row e d g e o f th e s u b o p e r c u lum
b e in g m em b ra n o u s . G ill-o p e n in g p r e tty la rg e , c le f t fo rwa
rd to b e n e a th th e middle- o f th e eye. G ill-m em b ra n e
naiTOw, s u s ta in e d b y se v e n m o d e ra te ly lo n g c u rv e d rays.
D is k o f s u p r a - s c a p u la r co v e red b y sm a ll s c a le s , its b o rd e r
be in g B Hue o f p o ro u s in te g um e n t, e x c e p t a t th e c r e n a te d
p o s te rio r b o n y tip . A s c a le le s s tem p o r a l fu rrow ru n s from
th e eye to th e u p p e r an g le o f th e g ill-o p e nm g . S u p r a - a x -
illa ry p la te o f th e c o ra c o id b o n e b ic u sp id a te . L a te r a l h u e
arch ed , a n d tr a c e d o n a b o u t fifty sc a le s , e x c lu s iv e o f sm a ll
ones o n th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l, th e lin e b e in g c o n tin u e d
p a s t th e m id d le o f th e fin ; a n d th e r e a re a b o u t fifte en or
k x te e ii s c a le s in th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y , sev en o f th em b e in
g above th e la te r a l lin e . , • , v
P e c to ra ls sm a ll. V e n tr a ls a t ta c h e d r a th e r b e h in d th e
pe c to ra l a x illa , a u d b e n e a th th e f ir s t d o rs a l sp in e . T h ird
do rsa l sp in e r a lh e r th e ta lle s t, b u t s c a rc e ly e x c e e d in g th e
fourth. T h e e ig h th sp in e n e a r ly e q u a ls th e se v e n th , b u t is
only a b o u t o n e - lh ird o f th e le n g ih o f th e lo n g e s t sp in e , o r
o f th e soft r a y s .* A n a l m o re ro u n d e d th a n th e so ft ¿oijsal,
an d em b ra c e d lik e i t a t th e b a s e b y a s c a ly sh e a th . T h e
an a l sp in e s a re s h o r t a n d r a th e r s to u t, th e s e c o n d b e in g
th e th ic k e s t, a n d n e a r ly a s lo n g a s tb e third._ C a u d a l
m uch ro u n d e d . A ta p e r in g row o f s c a le s is a p p lie d to th e
front o f e a c h d o rs a l sp in e o n a lte rn a te s id e s o f th e m em bran
e . T h e r e s t o f t h e fm -m em b ran o s a re c o v e re d w ith
ap p re s s ed , te n d e r , tile d sc a le s . A ta p e r in g , t ile d , c om pou
n d s c a le flan k s th e o u ts id e o f e a ch p e c to r a l, a n d th e re
is a b ro a d e r , lo o s e , s c a ly -p o in te d p la te b e tw e e n th e s e fins.
L e n g ih o f th e sp e c im e n 9 in c h e s ; o f th e h e a d 2 '4 in c h e s .
H e ig h t o f th e b o d y 2 ’38 in c h e s . D iam e te r s o f th e o rb it
5-8 a n d 4 ‘5 in c h e s . W id th b e tw e e n th e ey e s 0-4 in c h .
F ig u re 1, P la te L V I I ., is a view o f a d r ie d s e c tio n o f th e
fish p re s e rv e d in th e B r itis h M u s eum . F ig u r e 2 is a s c a le
from th e m id d le o f th e la te ra l lin e .
H ab. A u s tra lia .
P l e c t r o po m a d e n t e x . C uv. e t Va l.
R a d i i :— B . 7 ; D . 1 0 |1 8 ; A . 318; C . 17 ; P . 1 5 ; V. 1|5.
Pleanpoina d a t a , C. et V. ii. p. 3B4; Quo.v. et Gail». Toy 4e
p. 800, Pi. 4. f. 2 ; Neill's Australian 1-uh, MSS. f r .M d s . ,
No. 23, PI. 23. Specimen iu Britisli Museum numbered 4b, l, J i , n .
P l a t e L V IL , figs. 3— 5.
T h is fish is s ta te d b y A s s is ta n t-C om m is s a ry -G e n e ra l
N e ill lo b e g o o d e a tin g , b u t n o t a com m o n sp e c ie s in
W e s te rn A u s tra lia . I t is c a u g h t w ith a h o o k , a n d i f th e
fishe rman b e n o t o n h is g u a rd i t is a p t to u s e its rem a rk a b
ly s tro n g c a n in e te e th ve ry e ffe c tiv e ly , a n d to b i te liim^
severely. I t d e riv e s i t s n a tiv e n am e , ‘ T a a n g ’ o r ‘ Taa,^
from th e s e t e e th , b u t th e s e a le rs n am e i t ‘ th e p e rc h .
T h o u g h th e sp e c ie s h a s b e e n a lr e a d y fig u re d , I h a v e
th o u g h t i t a d v is a b le to g iv e a n o th e r r e p r e s e n ta tio n o f it,
ex e c u te d from a d r ie d sp e c im e n in a ve ry g o o d co n d itio n .
U n d e r j aw a n d m a x illa ry m in u te ly scaly._ P r e o p e r c u lum
c u rv e d in a n a rc r a th e r g re a te r th a n a th ird o f a c irc le ,
* There is no recumbent spine in front of the dorsal.
w ith o u t a n an g le . I t s d isk n a r row , its u p p e r hm b m in u te ly
to o th e d ; low e r o n e irre g u la rlv c r e n a te d , with th e a n te n o r
to o th le t n e a r th e a rtic u la tio n o f th e low e r jaw tu rn e d fo rwa
rds. T h r e e fla t o p e r c u la r s p in e s , th e m id d le o n e fa rth e r
b a c k a n d la rg e r . S e c o n d a n a l s p in e s to u te r , a n d a s lo n g
a s th e th ird o ne . , , • ,
O u e s tro n g a n d lo n g c a n in e to o th is im p la n te d in to e a c h
in te rm a x illa ry n o t fa r from th e sym p h y s is (vide fig. 4), a n d
o n th e lim b o f t h e b o n e th e r e is a n e x t e n o r row of s h o r t
s u b u la te te e lh , w ith a n a r row ir r e g u la r b a n d of m m u te v illifo
rm te e th a t th e ir b a s e s w ith in . T h e d e n ta l b a n d a t th e
sym p h y s is is b ro a d e r a n d c o a rs e , r e s em b lin g th e d e n titio n
o f a SerrawMS. F iv e ta ll a n d ve ry s tro n g c a n in e te e th arm
e a c h lim b o f th e low e r jaw , th e a n te r io r to o th a n d th e two
p o s te r io r o n e s b e in g la rg e r th a n th e in te rm e d ia te o n e s .
T h e v illiform te e th o c c u p y le s s sp a c e a t th e sym p h y s is
th a n in th e u p p e r jaw , a n d o n th e s id e s o f th e b o n e th e y
a r e r e d u c e d a lm o s t lo a s in g le s e rie s , b u t b e h in d th e la s t
c a n in e th e y a g a in in c r e a s e to two o r th r e e rows. C h ev ro n
o f th e v om e r a cu te . T h e v illifo rm te e th w h ic h a rm it,
a n d th e ve ry n a r row b a n d s o n th e p a la tm e b o n e s , a re
fin e r th a n th o s e o n th e jaw s .
T h e o r ig in a l co lo u rs c a n n o t b e d e s c n b e d from th e d n e d
sp e c im e n , b u t th e forms o f th e m a rk in g s se em to b e v e ry
p e r f e c tly p re s e rv e d . A lo n g th e b a c k th e r e r em a in s a d o u b le
row o f d a rk o r b la c k is h c lo u d -lik e sp o ts , m ix e d w ith o v a l
a n d ro u n d is h w h ite o u e s , w h ic h e x is t a lso o n th e s id e s a n d
b e lly , a n d a re th e r e la rg e r . T h e r e a re a lso o n th e b a c k
a n d u p p e r h a l f o f t h e s id e s th r e e o r fo u r row s o f n a r row
lo n g ish s p o ts , w h ic h h a v e s till a b lu ish c o lo u r. I h e
spm o u s d o rs a l a n d s c a ly b a s e o f th e so ft p a r t o f th e fin a re
m a rk e d lik e th e b a c k . O n th e h e a d th e th r e e k in d s ot
m a rk in g s a lso e x is t, b u t th e sp o ts a re sm a lle r m n c h m o re
c row d e d , a n d th e b la c k sp o ts e x te n d to b o th jaw s a n d th e
w h o le s ide o f th e h e a d . A few b la c k sp o ts e x is t o n th e
b a s a l h a l f o f th e p e c to r a l a n d b a s e o f th e c a u d a l, i h e
Liculated p o r tio n s o f th e v e rtic a l fin s a re r a th e r b ro a d ly
b o rd e r e d w ith b la c k , th e a n a l, e sp e c ia lly o n e h a l f of it,
b e in g o f th a t tin t. T h e t ip o f t h e v e n tr a l is a lso b la ck .
L e n g th o f fish 17-25 in c h e s . L e n g th o f h e a d 4 '8 in c h e s .
H a b. K in g G e o rg e ’s S o u n d .
C e n t r o p r is t e s g e o r g ia n u s . C u v . e t Val.
Centroprìstes georgianxts, Cuv. et Val. vii. p. 451.
Arripis georgianus, Jenyus, Zool. Beagle, p. 14.
R a d i i:— B . 7 ; D . 9 |l f i , in ie rd um 14 ; A. 3 l lO , v e lH ;
C. 17®; P . 1 5 ; V. 1|5.
P la te L IV ., figs. 3— 6.
F u ll d e s c rip tio n s o f th is fish a re c o n ta in e d in th e H i s to
ir e de s P o is so n s , a n d in th e R ev . L . J e n y n ’s a c c o u n t ot
th e I c h th y o lo g y o f th e V o y a g e o f th e B e a g le . I t s re s em b
la n c e to th e C . sa la r , n o tic e d a b o v e a t p . 2 9 , a n d d e s c n b e d
in tb e th ird vo lum e o f th e Z o o lo g ic a l T r a n s a c tio n s , a n d