54 LOPHOBRANCHII. 
of second dorsal and lateral line. Dorsal VIII, 1 9; spines of moderate strength, the third and fourth 
the longest, a little more than 2 the length of head. Anal III 6; second spine slightly longer than the 
third, less than + the length of the fish. Pectoral nearly 2 the length of head. Ventrals extending to 
the vent, which is situated at 3 of the distance from base of ventral spine to origin of anal. Caudal 
peduncle 13 as long as deep. Silvery, back brownish ; lateral line not blackish ; spinous dorsal blackish, 
other fins pale. 
Hab. Pacific Coasts of Central America: 
Salvador, La Union 12; Panama ®®, 
The above description is based on a single specimen, 260 mm. in total length, from 
Panama. 
Sub-order I]. LOPHOBRANCHII. 
This sub-order comprises a number of marine fishes, mostly of small size and peculiar 
appearance. A few ‘Pipe-fishes” of the genera Syngnathus and Doryichthys are 
known to occur in the fresh waters of Mexico and Central America. ‘They may be 
easily recognized by the long slender body enclosed in bony rings, the tubiform snout, 
and the small, terminal, toothless mouth. 
Fam. SYNGNATHID. 
Lophobranchii with small gill-openings, a single dorsal fin without spines, and no ventral fins. 
1. SYNGNATHUS, Linn. 
Syngnathus, Giinth. Cat. Fish. vii. p. 155 (1870). 
Siphostoma, Jord. & Everm. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. xlvii. 1896, p. 761. 
Pectoral fins present; caudal fin present ; males with an egg-pouch under the tail. 
Of the numerous American species of this widely distributed tropical genus only 
three appear to have been definitely recorded from fresh waters. 
1. Syngnathus spicifer, Riipp. 
Syngnathus spicifer, Ginth. Cat. Fish. viii. p. 172 (1870). 
Body-rings 15-16 (abdominal) +38-42 (caudal). Dorsal rays 23-27. Origin of dorsal separated by 1 or 2 
caudal rings from the ring containing the vent. Abdomen with dark vertical bars at the edges of the 
rings. 
Hab. Tropical Indo-Pacific. 
I have compared three specimens in the British Museum from Tehuantepec with 
others from Zanzibar and the Philippines and I cannot detect any differences. 
