Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 edition. Excerpt: ...dark stone-grey; fins and gill-membranes black. Length 19 inches. Arabian Sea, 719 fathoms. Regd. No. 13472. Subgenus Macrurus, Gthr. Mouth small or moderate, entirely inferior, the infraorbital ridge distinct. Teeth in bands in both jaws. Scales imbricate with spines or serrated keels: no series of enlarged dorsal scales. Dorsal spine serrated. The following key is substituted for that given by me in J. A. S. B. Vol. LXIII. pt. 2, 1894, pp. 126-127, which was reprinted by Goode and Bean in Oceanic Ichthyology, p. 532. Key to the Indian species of the subgenus Macrurus. II. Seven branchiostegals: vent between the ventral fins: --1. Eight rays in the ventral fin: --i. Scales with strong serrated (parallel) ridges: barbel hardly half as long as the eye... ii. Scales with spinelets: barbel at least as long as eye 2. Ten rays in the ventral fin: scales with densely packed spinelets 3. Eleren or twelve rays in the ventral fin: --i. Length of the head about a fifth of the total: --a Scales with about fifteen series of capillary spinelets b. Scales with about seven series of capillnry spinelets ii. Length of head about nn eighth the total: scales with from three to eight (usually six) series of short spinelets Sis branchiostegals: vent immediately in front of the first ray of the anal fin: --1. Seven rays in the ventral fin 2 Eight (rarely 9) rays in the ventral fin: --i. Second spine of the first dorsal fin remarkably prolong-ed: --a. Scales with twelve to seventeen rows of spinelets... M. macrolophus. 6. Scales with five or six very short series of spinelets M. hiphotes. ii. Second spine of the first dorsal fin not abnormally long... M. Wood-Masoni. 3 Nine rays in the ventral fin: one or more of the spinelets of the middle series in each scale