411 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



FAMILY LXIX. AMMODYTID^E. 



The S<ni<l Lnitnces. 



Body elongate, compressed, covered with small cycloid scales. Ilead 

 long. Mouth rather large, nearly horixontal, the lower jaw consider- 

 ably projecting, the symphysis produced. Xo teeth in jaws. Gill- 

 openings very wide; gill-membranes not united, free from the isthmus. 

 P.ranchiostegals G to 8. Pseudobraiichia* large, lamellate. Gill-rakers 

 long and slender; gills 4, a slit behind the fourth. Opercles well de- 

 velo]>ed, without spines or serratures. Eye moderate. Premaxillaries 

 very protractile. Maxillaries long and slender. Lateral line running 

 along side of back. Spinous dorsal absent (or represented by a few 

 weak s] tines); soft dorsal very long and low, fragile, extending from 

 behind the head to near the base of caudal. Caudal fin small, forked. 

 Anal similar to dorsal, but smaller. Vent somewhat behind middle of 

 body. No ventral fins. Pectoral fins inserted low. Xo air-bladder. 

 Pyloric co2ca usually 1. Genera 4, species 8. Small fishes swimming in 

 large schools and often burying themselves iu the sand. Found along 

 the coasts of northern regions. 



(Ojiliiili/(l<r jjroup Ammodytina (iiiutlier, iv, 38-1-388.) 



* Body with many transverse, oliliquc folds; a longitudinal fold of skin along sides 



of lielly; vower unarmed. 

 o. Dorsal liu \vitlmut spines ................................. AMMODYTKS, 204. 



an. Dorsal fin preeeded by 7 small free spines ............... Au<; YUO i .I:NIA, 'JO.'). 



2O1.-AM.1IODVTES Linnteus. 

 Sand Launces. 



(Artedi ; Linn. Sywt. Nat. : type Ammotlytt-H tolianux L.) 



Uody elongate, lanceolate, the skin with many transverse folds run- 

 ning obliquely downward and backward, the small cycloid scales 

 iimst I \ phicnl in cross series between them. Lateral line concurrent 

 with the back. A 1'old of the skin along each side of the belly. Vomer 

 not armed with a bicaspid tooth. C'olor silvery. Vertebra 1 : (53. 

 sand; "'><, to dive.) 



. A. nilirriratms I (eKay.- Sinul I.ainn-i : Sniui /'<! : I.mit. 



Oli\'aceoiis abo\ e, sihery l>elo\\ ; sides \\ith a steel-blue stripe. Pec- 

 toral lins much longer than snout, reaching front of dorsal. Lateral 

 folds 1 L'.~>- 1 .".<). Depth equal i<> length of mandible, which is 2J in head. 



