History of the Sternoptixinae, a family of the osseous fishes, and their anatomical peculiarities, with a description of the Sternoptix celebes, a species not hitherto noticed / [Peter David Handyside].

  • Handyside, P. D. (Peter David), 1808-1881
Date:
[1839]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: History of the Sternoptixinae, a family of the osseous fishes, and their anatomical peculiarities, with a description of the Sternoptix celebes, a species not hitherto noticed / [Peter David Handyside]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    apertures extend obliquely downwards underneath the lower jaw and branchiostegous membrane, nearly as far as the mesian line, where the narrow isthmus formed by the junction of the lingual bones to the sym¬ physis of the humerals separates the two branchial openings from be¬ low. The pre-opercule has its shaft flattened, its border finely denticu¬ lated, and its angle armed with a strong spine projecting downwards and forwards. The sub-opercule is in form an incurvatecT cone, having its rounded base below, its concave thick margin in front, its outer surface scabrous, and studded with polygonal cells, its convex posterior border much attenuated, while superiorly it is acuminated. Spines. [2 Pre-opercular, 2 humeral, 2 ventral, and 1 dorsal.] Be¬ sides the spine of the pre-opercule already described, there is behind the trochlea of the humerus a small thick spine curving downwards and for¬ wards, and overlapping the ulna and radius; and below the symphysis and isthmus of the ossa humeri, which are remarkably elongated at an acute angle, there exists a sharp spine, which terminates each bone, and projects downwards at a point midway between the centre of the mouth and the ventral fins. A fourth strong spine curves downwards and for¬ wards from the extremity of the pelvic bones on each side, and imme¬ diately in front of the ventral fin; and, lastly, in front of the first dorsal ray there rises up obliquely backwards from the first interspinal bone an extremely strong, scaly, or membranous moveable spine, thick and grooved behind, but finely denticulated on its anterior margin. Fins. The dorsal fin is short, and has from eight to ten soft rays, bifid at their extremities. The pectoral fins are small, and multi-radiated. They present respectively the same number of rays as the dorsal, the su¬ perior ray being double the length of the inferior,, and the intermediate rays vary in length proportionally. The ventral fins possess each, be¬ sides the spine, from five to seven very slender rays. They are placed about the middle of the trunk, opposite to the dorsal fin, and imme¬ diately in front of the anus. The anal fin is shallow, with distant rays, and is nearly longitudinal (i. e. extends a considerable way from the vent towards the tail). It consists of thirteen distinct soft rays, each bifur¬ cated at its extremity. The caudal fin is forked, and has from thirty-six to forty rays. Surface. The surface of the body of the Sternoptix is naked (or de¬ void of scales). It is covered with a dark coloured translucent mucus or epithelion. Colour. The colour is variegated and very brilliant when the fish is first caught. The entire surface of its body has a tin or dim silvery lustre. The back is of a dark olive-green colour : the spines are translucent, and partake of the amber tint of the iris ; and the fins and tail are intermediate between an amber and a mottled vandyke-brown hue. Lateral line. The lateral line is smooth, solitary, superior, straight, and descending.