L abrus luculentus, v e l T autoga luculenta.
R ic h a rd s o n .
R a d i i:— B . 5 ; D . 9 | l l ; A . S |1 0 ; C. 1 1 , vel 1 2 4 ; P . 1 2 ;
V . 115.
T am in d e b te d to D r . M e W illiam , so w e ll k n ow n b y h is
h um a n e e x e r tio n s on th e N ig e r E x p e d itio n , fo r five sp e c im
e n s o f a L a b r u s from N o rfo lk I s l a n d , c lo s e ly a llie d to
th e p r e c e d in g s p e c ie s . A d r ie d sp e c im e n in th e B ritish
M u s e um , w h ic h w a s b ro u g h t from W e s te rn A u s tr a lia b y
M r. G o u ld , sh ow s th a t its ra n g e is e x te n s iv e .
T h e p ro file is e llip tic a l, th e j aw s fo rm in g th e a c u te a p e x
a n te r io r ly , w h ile b e h in d th e e llip s e e n d s in th e tru n k o f th e
ta il, w h o s e h e ig h t is c o n ta in e d tw ic e a n d o n e - lh ird in th e
h e ig h t o f th e b o d y , a n d th is a g a in th r ic e a n d o n e - th ird in
th e to ta l le n g th , c a u d a l iu c lu d e d . T h e d e s c e n t from th e
d o rs a l to th e m o u th is a n even, lo n g s lo p e , w ith a s lig h t
c o n v e x ity : th e b e lly is r a th e r m o re c o n v e x th a n th e b a c k ,
a n d th e c om p re s s io n o f t h e h o d y i s c o n s id e ra b le , its th ic k n
e s s b e in g c o n ta in e d tw ic e a n d tw o - th ird s in i t s h e ig h t.
T h e h e a d fo rm s Iw o -s ev en th s o f th e wh o le le n g th o f th e
fish , c a u d a l in c lu d e d . T h e ey e is o f m o d e ra te s iz e , a n d
th e d iam e te r o f th e p e rfe c tly ro u n d o rb it is e q u a l to on e -
f ifth o f th e l e n g th o f th e h e a d , m e a su re d to th e e x tr em e
e d g e o f g ill-flap . I t is s itu a te d n e a r th e p ro file , a n d two
d iam e te r s from th e sym p h y s is o f th e in te rm a x illa r ie s . T h e
b r e a d th o f th e p r e o rb ita r is g r e a te r th a n th e d iam e te r o f
th e e y e , a n d th e p r e o rb ita r lip is d e v e lo p e d a b o u t a s m u c h
a s in th e A u s tra lia n sp e c ie s a lre a d y d e s c rib e d . T h e c h e ek
is p r o te c te d b y sm a ll tile d sc a le s , w h ich fill u p th e cu rv e
o f t h e p r e o p e r c u lum , w h e re th e r e a re s ix row s : th e y come
c lo s e to th e d is k o f th e p re o p e r c u lum , b u t le av e a b r o a d
sm o o th m a rg in b e n e a th th e o rb it, a n d a lso a sp a c e a t th e
c om e r o f th e m o u th . T h e p r e o rb ita r , m a n d ib le , sn o u t a n d
w h o le to p o f th e h e a d a re a lso sm o o th , a s is likewise th e
b ro a d , th in a n d fle x ib le in te ro p e rc u lum . W h e n th is b o n e
is c om p le te i t la p s o v e r i t s fellow, a n d c om p le te ly co n c e a ls
th e g ill-m em b ra n e ; b u t i t is m o re o r le s s d e f ic ie n t in
fo u r o f th e s p e c im e n s o u t o f five, e i th e r on sid e s o f tb e
fisb o r o n o n e o n ly . T h e o p e rc u lum a n d su b o p e rc u lum
a re c o v e re d b y th r e e o r fo u r v e rtic a l row s o f la rg e
s c a le s , w h ich a re , h ow ev e r, sm a lle r th a u th o s e o f th e b o d y .
T h e r e a re tw e n ty - s e v e n s c a le s o n th e la te r a l lin e , w ith
th r e e row s a b o v e i t a n d se v e n o r e ig h t b e low . O n th e a n te
r io r s c a le s th e la te r a l lin e is form ed b y a sm a ll sp a rin g ly -
d iv id e d c lu s te r o f b r a n c h le ts a t th e e n d o f a lo n g tu b e .
T h e b r a n c h le ts a re m o s tly ab o v e th e tu b u la r lin e , a n d d im
in is h in n um b e r p o s te r io r ly , so th a t a t th e flex u re u n d e r
th e e n d o f th e d o rs a l o n ly o n e u pw a rd b r a n c h le t rem a in s .
T h e s c a le s a re n e a r ly a s s tro n g ly s tr ia te d on th e ir u n c o v
e re d d isk s a s o n th e ir b a s e s , th e s t r i « em b ra c in g a ll th e
c irc um fe re n c e e x c e p t a ve ry sm a ll tr ia n g u la r p o r tio n on
e a c h s id e . T h e b a s e o f th e d o rs a l, a n d in a le s s d eg re e
th a t o f th e a n a l, is p ro te c te d b y a s c a ly sh e a th . T h e b a s e
o f th e c a u d a l is a lso sh e a th e d . T h e d o rs a l a n d a n a l sp in e s
a re s le n d e r , ro u n d , p u n g e n t, a n d tip p e d b e h in d w ith sm a ll
m em b r a n o u s p ro c e s s e s . T h e so ft r a y s a re a l ittle lo n g e r,
b u t th e o u tlin e o f e a c h o f th e s e fin s is ev en , a n d th e y e n d
a c u te ly , th o u g h n o t b y p ro lo n g e d p o in ts . T h e p e c to r a l is
a c u te a b o v e a n d r o u n d e d b e n e a th . T h e v e n tr a ls a re r a th e r
sm a ll, a n d , w h e n fully sp re a d , o b tu s e . T h o m em b ran e s
o f th e fins g en e ra lly , a n d e sp e c ia lly o f th e v e n tra ls a n d
p e c to r a ls , a re d e lic a te a n d tr a n s p a r e n t.
T h e to o th n e x t th e sym p h y s is o n b o th jaw s is ab o u t
twice th e s iz e o f th e s e c o n d o n e , a n d th e r e s t d im in ish r e g
u la r ly to th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . T h e y a re su b u la te
a n d a c u te , a n d a b o u t twe lve in n um b e r o n e a c h p r em a x illa
ry a n d lim b o f th e m a n d ib le . T h e r e is a lso a sm a ll
c a u in e a t th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . T h e in n e r sm a ll te e lh
are ve ry d is tin c t, p a r tic u la r ly th e m a n d ib u la r o n e s , b u t
th e y a re c o n fin e d to a s in g le s e rie s on th e f ro n t o f th e jaw s ,
a n d d o n o t ru n f a r th e r b a c k th a n th e th i rd e x te r io r to o th .
T h e follow in g tr a c in g s o f co lo u rin g a n d m a rk in g s r e m
a in , a fte r s e v e ra l y e a r s o f m a c e ra tio n in s p ir its . A fa in t
re d d ish t in t p re v a ils o n th e b o d y , s tro n g e s t a lo n g th e d o r sa
l a n d la te r a l lin e , g iv in g in d ic a tio n s o f s tr ip e s . B e low
th e la te r a l lin e e a c h s c a le is m a rk e d a t its b a s e b y a som e w
h a t o b liq u e d e s c e n d in g s ilv e ry b a r : th is m a rk b e lo n g s to
th e in te g um e n t b e n e a th th e s c a le a n d sh in e s th ro u g h .
O n e d a rk p u rp le lin e ru n s from th e o rb it, a lo n g th e u p p e r
ed g e o f th e p r e o rb ita r , to th e tip o f th e sn o u t. A n o th e r
ru n s b e n e a th th e p r e o rb ita r , a lo n g th e u n d e r m a rg in o f th e
o rb it, to th e tip o f th e g ill-co v e r. A se rie s o f p u rp le d o ts
tr a c e o u t th e lin e o f th e o c c ip u t, a n d th e re is a row o n th e
tem p le s . T h e tip o f th e g ill- c o v e r a p p e a r s to h a v e b e e n
co lo u re d , a n d th e ch e ek to h a v e b e e n b r ig h te r th a n th e
r e s t o f th e h e a d . T h e p e c to r a l shows a p u rp lis h -b la c k
r in g a t i t s b a s e , w ith a s ilv e ry a n d r e d d is h a x illa . A b la c k
m a rk em b ra c e s th e firs t tw o d o rs a l sp in e s , a n d th e r e is a
b la c k sp o t o n th e s c a ly sh e a th em b ra c in g th e two f irs t soft
d o rs a l ra y s , w ith in d ic a tio n s o f a sm a lle r sp o t a t th e fifth
a n d s ix th so ft r ay s .
L e n g th 6 in c h e s .
H a b . E a s te rn a n d w e s te rn c o a s ts o f A u s tra lia . N o rfo lk
I s la n d .
T autoga melaptera. B lo c h . {L a b ru s.)
Labrus mclamptcrus, Bl. 285, Schn. 247.
Tanioga melapterus, Cuv. et Val. xiii. p. 311. Richardson, Annals
and Mag of Nat. Hist. xi. p. 358.
R a d i i:— B . 5 ; D. 9 |1 0 ; A. QjlO; C. 1 3 f ; P , 1 3 ; V. 1|5.
T h is sp e c ie s is k n own to th e n a tiv e s ro u n d P o r t E s s in g to
n b y th e n am e o f “ a rd ilg a .” T h e re a d e r is re fe rred lo
th e H i s to i r e d e s P o isso n s a n d th e A n n a ls o f N a tu r a l H is
to r y a s ab o v e q u o te d fo r a n a c c o u n t o f it.
L e n g ih 1 3 ^ in c h e s .
H ab. S e a o f J a v a , T o rre s S tr a its a n d th e c o a s ts of
N o r th A u s tra lia .
Lachnolaimus, v e l C ossyphus cyanodus. R ic h a rd so n .
Labrus cyanodus, Richardson, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist. xi.
p. 365.
R a d i i:— B . 6 ; D . 1 3 ]7 ; A .S j lO ; C . 1 2 ^ ; P . 1 5 ; V . l |5 .
P l a t e L V ., figs. 5— 7. [L. a r ilca .)
T h is fish w a n ts th e fle x ib le f ilam en to u s p ro lo n g a tio n s o f
th e an te rio r d o rs a l sp in e s , w h ich give su c h a p e c u lia r c h a r
a c te r to th e L a c h n o la im i o f th e C a r ib b e a n S e a ; a n d it
differs from th em in its m o re e le v a te d p ro file , a n d c o n s e q
u en tly in its g e n e ra l p h y s io g n om y , w h ic h is m o re lik e
th a t o f N o v a c u la , e sp e c ia lly in th e fa c e . I t h a s th e p r e o r b
ita r lip s , th e sc a ly g ill-c o v e rs a n d c h e ek s , with th e c o n tin
u o u s la te r a l lin e , a n d o th e r g e n e ra l c h a r a c te r s o f L a b ru s ,
b u t i t d iffe rs from th a t g en u s in th e d e n titio n b o th o t th e
iaws a n d p h a ry n g e a ls , in w h ic h i t ag re e s with L a c ltn o -
la im u s. I n th e s tru c tu r e o f i t s jaw s , th e u p p e r o n e e s-
p e c ia lly , i t c o rre sp o n d s n e a r ly w ilh C o s s yp h u s a tr o lum b u s ,
a u d m o s t lik e ly w ith som e o th e r s o f th a t g en u s , th e Co?-
s y p h i m e re ly h a v in g th e te e th o n th e ed g e o f th e jaw a little
more p rom in e n t, a n d th o s e in c o rp o ra te d w ith th e b o n e in te
riorly so m u ch d e v e lo p e d a s to r e n d e r th e su rfa c e g r a n u lar.
T h o u g h th e v e r tic a l fins o f o u r fish m o v e in s c a ly
sh e a th s, th e y a re m u c h le s s e v id e n t th a n in Cossijphus, a n d
enclose o n ly th e b a s e s o f th e fins. I t se em s to h a v e th e
c lose st a ffin ity to th e L a h r u s m a c ro d o n tu s &ná.Ja p om cu s,
a n d to th e Cossyphus s c h r cn le in ii o f th e H is to ir e des
Poissons, diffe rin g from th em r a th e r in sp e c ific c h a ra c te rs
th a n g en e ric o n e s , a n d ag re e in g w ilh th em in d e n titio n
a n d in th e n um b e r o f th e fin r a y s .* _
T h is fish o b ta in s th e n am e s o f “ ’n g u rm in a n d a rilk a
from th e n a tiv e tr ib e s in th e v ic in ity o f P o r t E s s in g to n .
T h e sp e c im en w e h a v e fig u red w a s ta k e n in E n d e a v o u r
S tra its , on th e r e e f w h ich su r ro u n d s B ram b le I s la n d . _
T h e p ro file o f th e sn o u t ris e s a t a n an g le o f 4 5 ° , w ith a
s lig h t co n c a v ity o p p o s ite th e p r e o rb ita r s , a n d a c o n v e x ity
a t th e n o s trils , w h e re i t b e g in s to ro u n d g r a d u a lly ov e r
th e ey e in to th e n e a r ly h o r iz o n ta l c u rv e o f th e n ap e .
Along th e w h o le e x te n t o f th e d o rs a l, th e o u tlin e o i th e
b a c k d e s c en d s to jo in th e c o n c av e sw e ep o f th e tru n k o f
th e ta il. T h e o u tlin e o f th e b e lly w an ts th e b o ld c o n v e x ity
o f th e fo reh e ad a n d n a p e , h u t is o th e rw is e n e a r ly s im ila
r to th e do rsa l lin e . T h e h e ig h t o f th e tru n k o f th e ta il
exc e ed s o n e - th ird o f th e g r e a te s t h e ig h t o f th e b o d y , a n d
its le n g th b e tw e en th e d o rs a l a n d c a u d a l is n e a r ly one-
s ix th o f th e to ta l le n g ih o f th e fish.
T h e le n g th o f th e h e a d is c o n ta in e d th r ic e a n d two-
th ird s in th e le n g th o f th e fish , a n d its h e ig h t is n o t above
a n in th o r te n th p a r t le s s th a n i t s le n g th . T h e ey e , o f a
m o d e ra te s iz e a n d ro u n d , is s itu a te d above th e lev e l ot th e
* See also Cossyphus cxjanostolus and ommoplents of ‘ Tlie Report on
the Ichthyology of China,’ p. 250, 257, which agree generically with the
species named ahovc, and in the numbers of the rays. Labrus reUcula-
ris ofthe Fawia Japónica has a different number of dorsal rays, but similar
cousiruclion of the jaws with the other species of this group.
a n " le o f t h e g ill-c o v e r, h a v in g a ve ry h ig h ch e e k a n d in te
ro p e rc u lum b e n e a th it, a n d a la rg e p r e o rb ita r d e s c e n d in g
o b liq u e ly b e fo re it. I t is tw o d iam e te rs o f tlie o r b i t from
th e e n d o f th e s n o u t, a n d r a th e r fa r th e r from th e tip o f
th e g ill-co v e r. T h e n o s tr ils a re v e ry sm a ll sim p le o p e n in
g s , s itu a te d n e a r e r to th e ey e th a n to th e e d g e o f th e
sn o u t. T h e p r e o rb ita r lip is w id e , a n d c o n tin u o u s oy e r
th e p r em a x illa ry p e d ic le s a n d c h e e k , fo rm in g a co v e rin g
fo r th e whole o f th e m a x illa ry a n d th e o u te r h a ll o f th e
p r em a x illa ry w h en Uie jaw s a re r e tr a c te d . T h e o b tu s e
e n d o f th e m a x illa ry j u s t a p p e a r s a t th e c o rn e r o f th e
ra o u lh wh en th e jaw s a re e x te n d e d . T h e p r em a x i l la y
lip s a re fu ll a n d p la ite d , a n d th e m a n d ib u la r o n e fo ld s
b a c k o n th e lira b o f th e jaw . T h e g a p e o f th e r a o u lh
i s low d ow n , a n d s c a rc e ly e x te n d s a s fa r b a c k a s th e
a n te r io r n o s tril. T h e m an d ib le w h en d e p r e s s e d is eq u a l
in le n g th to th e p r em a x illa ry w h en fu lly p ro tr a c te d , a n d
a s c e n d s a little w h en t h e jaw s a re r e tr a c te d . T h e p r em a x i i -
la r ie s a re m o d e ra te ly p r o tr a c tile : e a ch is a rm ed a n te r io r ly
b y two s tro n g c a n in e s , th e o n e n e x t th e sym p h y s is b e jn g
th e l a r g e s t : th e y a re c o n ic a l, s lig h tly cu rv e d , d ir e c te d toi^
w a rd s a n d d ownwa rds, a n d b o th a re c lo s e ly in c o rp o r a te d
w ilh th e b o n e , so th a t th e r e a p p e a r s to b e n o lin e o f s e p a r
a tio n b e tw e e n th e ro o t o f th e to o th a n d s u b s ta n c e ol th e
b o n e . T h e jaw in ie r io r ly is n a k e d a n d p o lish e d , a s il
w o rn o r e n am e lle d , for a c o n s id e r a b le b r e a d tli, a n d ils
e d g e , w h ich is r a th e r o b tu s e th ro u g h o u t, is a little swollen
b e h in d th e c a n in e s ; a n d c io se to th e sym p h y s is th e r e is a
sm a ll c o n ic a l to o th im m e d ia te ly b e h in d th e la rg e s t c an in e ,
a n d tw o o r th r e e m in u te g r a n u la r o n e s a p p e a r a s i f p a s s in g
o u t o f th e b o n e on th e la te r a l ed g e o f th e j aw . T h e m a n d
ib le e x h ib its th e sam e p o lis h e d ed g e a n d in te r io r su rfa c e
a s th e p r em a x illa ry , a n d is a lso a rm e d w ith two s to u t c a n
in e s d ir e c te d forwa rds a n d u pw a rd s . T h e r e is n o sm a ll
in te r io r c o n ic a l to o th a t th e sym p h y s is , b u t a se rie s o f ve ry
sm a ll g r a n u la r te e th on th e e d g e o f th e ja w is v is ib le to
th e n a k e d ey e , p a r tic u la r ly tw o o r th r e e of th em b e h in d its
m id d le T h e r e is n o c a n in e a t th e c om e r o f th e m o u th .
T h e u p p e r p h a ry n g e a ls (fig. 6) a re tw o sm a ll b o n e s w ith
fla t g ra n u la r d isk s, a n d th e te e th s h in in g th ro u g h , a s o n
th e jaw s o f a S c a ru s . T h e te e th a n d jaw s a re g re e n ish .
T h e ch e ek is p ro te c te d b y sm a ll, rem o te , ro u n d sc a le s ,
fo rm in g five o r s ix row s b e tw e e n th e o rb it a n d cu rv e o f th e
p r e o p e r c u la r disk. T h e r e a re s ix in a s in g le se rie s o n th e
in te ro p e rc u lum , a n d th e o p e rc u lum a n d su b o p e ic u lm n a re
co v e red b y s ix row s o f la rg e r o n e s c lo se ly tiled . T h e d isk
o f th e p re o p e rc u lum is n a k e d , a n d th e in te ro p e r c u lum is
v e ry b ro a d , its ed g e b e in g m em b ra n o u s . T h e g ill-c o v e r is
a lso b o rd e r e d w ilh sm o o th m em b ra n e , b e n e a th w h o s e e d p
th e r a th e r n a rrow g ill-m em b ra n e fo ld s. T h e ra y s o f th e
la tte r a re lo n g , sle n d e r, c u rv e d a n d fle x ib le . T h e tip ot
th e g ill-c o v e r is a ro u n d e d lo b e , r e n d e r e d m o re p v om m eu t
b y a wide cu rv e n a rrow in g th e su b o p e rc u lum . _
T lie la te r a l lin e is tra c e d o n iw e n ty -iiin e o r ib ir ty sc a le s,
th e la s t two o f w h ich a re as la rg e a s th e o th e rs , a n d sh e a th
th e b a s e o f t h e c a u d a l ra y s . T h e e x p o s e d d isk s of th e
s c a le s are w ith o u t s t r ia ; ; th e ir b a s e s a re m a rk e d l y tw e n ty -
five o r th ir ty , d iv e rg in g in a fan -lik e way. T h e sc a le s
fo rm in g th e la te r a l lin e h a v e e a c h a lo n g lu b e , with s ix o r
sev en sp re a d in g d iv is io n s a t th e e n d . O n th e p o s te r io r