ACANTHOPTERVGII 673 



The family is supposed to be represented in the Upper Eocene 

 and Lower Miocene of Italy by the extinct genus Odonteus. 



Fam. 35. Labridae. No subocular shelf; entopterygoid 

 present : palate toothless ; anterior teeth of the jaws usually 

 strong and canine-like, lateral teeth often soldered at the base ; 

 lower pharyngeals completely united into one bone, with conical 

 or tubercular teeth. Vertebrae with transverse processes from 

 the third ; all the ribs attached to the transverse processes. 

 Lips thick. T\vo nostrils on each side. Gill-membranes free 

 or joined to the narrow isthmus ; 5 or 6 branchiostegal rays ; 

 gills three and a half; pseudobranchiae present. Dorsal fin 

 elongate, with numerous, usually slender, spines. Ventral fins 

 with 1 spine and 5 soft rays. 



The " Wrasses " form a large family of mostly brilliantly 

 coloured marine fishes, inhabiting all the tropical and temperate 

 coasts. Their regime is partially herbivorous, partially carnivorous. 



FIG. 412. Upper and lower pharyngeal bones of Labrus maculatus. 



About 400 species are known. Principal genera: Labrus, 

 Tautoga, Malacopterus, Ctenolabrus, Chaerops, Platychaerops, 

 Jfeterochaerops, Latoichthys, Cossyplius, Cirrhilabrus, Chilinus, 

 Epibulus, Anampses, Platyglossus, Novacula, Julis, Gomphosus, 

 Chilio, Coris. 



Some of the members of this family have been observed to 

 build nests for the protection of their eggs and young. These 

 nests, in the European Labrus, are made of seaweeds, zoophytes, 

 corals, broken shells, etc., and are the work of both the male 

 and the female. 1 It is also in this family that sleep was first 

 observed in fishes, and this has been fully verified by Mobius 2 



1 Gerbe, Rev. et Mag. de Zool. xvi. 1864, p. 255. 



a Zool. Garten, 1867, p. 148. See also Verrill, Amer. Journ. Sci. (4) iii. 1897, 

 p. 136. 



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