TELEOSTEI 



CHAP. 



Five families : 



I. Gill-opening in or behind lower axil of pectoral ; mouth large, terminal 

 or directed upwards. 



Pectoral fin scarcely geniculated ; ventrals present . 1. Lophiidae. 

 Pectoral fin scarcely geniculated ; ventrals absent . 2. Ceratiidae. 

 Pectoral fin strongly geniculated ; ventrals present . 3. Antennariidae. 



II. Gill-opening behind lower axil of pectoral ; mouth large, inferior ; 

 ventrals absent ........ 4. Gigantactinidae. 



III. Gill-opening above axil of pectoral ; mouth rather small, subterminal 

 or inferior ; pectoral fin strongly geniculated ; ventrals present ; spinous 

 dorsal absent or reduced to a small tentacle lodged in a cavity under the 

 snout ......... 5. Malthidae. 



Fam. 1. Lophiidae. Mouth extremely large, terminal, with 

 very strong cardiform teeth. Gill -opening in lower axil of 

 pectoral ; pseudobrauchiae present. Pectoral fin scarcely geni- 

 culated, with two pterygials. Ventral fin with 1 spine and 5 

 branched rays. Spinous dorsal present. Skin naked. 



Twelve species, referable to three genera (Lophius, Chirolophius, 

 and Lophiomus) living on the bottom of the Atlantic, Indian, 

 and Pacific Oceans, at moderate or great depths. Lophius was 

 represented in the Upper Eocene of Monte Bolca. 



Fia. 434. Chirolophius naresii. (After Giinther.) x J. 



The Fishing-Frog or Angler (Lophius piscatorius) has a wide 

 distribution, occurring on the coasts of Europe and North 

 America. The first dorsal ray, inserted on the snout, is very 

 long, movable in every direction, and terminates in a dermal 

 flap, which is supposed to be used by the " Angler " as a bait, 

 attracting other fishes, which are soon ingulfed in the enormous 

 gape. It grows to a length of over 5 feet. The ventral rays 

 are very elongate in the young. 



