714 TELEOSTEI CHAP. 



pressed ; no scales. A short dorsal fin, without spines, situated 

 above the pectorals ; a long anal fin, continuous with the caudal. 



jolte. 

 scl. 



plr. 



FIG. 431. Pectoral arcli of Podateles indicus. cl, Clavicle ; cor, coracoid ; pelt, pelvis ; 

 ptr, pterygial ; ptte, post-temporal ; sc, scapula ; scl, supraclavicle. 



The genus Podateles (Ateleopus) comprises only two species 

 from the deep sea, one from Japan and one from India. 



DIVISION IX. TAENIOSOMI. 



Exceedingly compressed, more or less elongate, often ribbon- 

 like fishes of doubtful affinities, probably related to the earlier 

 Acanthopterygians, the ventral fins, when well developed, com- 

 prising as many as 7 to 9 rays. Dorsal fin extending from the 

 head to the end of the tail, its rays simple (separable into lateral 

 halves), the anterior often prolonged ; anal fin very short or 

 absent. Pectoral fin with horizontal or nearly horizontal base, 

 the rays supported by the scapula and by three short pterygials, 

 all three, or two at least, of which are related to the coracoid. 

 Eibs small and slender, or absent. Post-temporal simple and 

 solidly attached to the skull. Scales minute or absent. 



Deep-sea or pelagic fishes from the Atlantic and Mediterranean 

 and from the Pacific ; the life-histories are still very imperfectly 

 known, and great changes of form take place with growth. Only 

 two families. 1 



1 On the general structure, anatomy, and metamorphoses, cf. L. Powell, Tr. N. 

 Zeal. Inst. ii. 1878, p. 269 ; Emery, Atti Ace. Lined, iii. 1879, p. 390 ; Liitken, 

 Vid. Meddel. 1881, p. 190, and Overs. Vid. Selsk. Skr. 1882, Suppl. p. 21 ; 

 Collett, Forh. Vid. Selsk. Christ. 1883, No. 16 ; T. J. Parker, Tr. Z. S. xii. 1886, 

 p. 5 ; Smitt, Bih. Foren. Forh. i. 1889, p. 17 ; A. Meek, Stud. Mus. Univ. Coll. 

 Dundee, i. 1890, No. vi. ; F. Mazza, Int. Monatschr. Anat. xviii. 1901, p. 129. 



