35G CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



probably belonging to this species lately obtained at Charleston, S. C., 

 by Mr. B. E. Earll. 



(Limamitrii mi wclatinlix Kaiip, Aalc Iluinl.mrj; Mus. 27; Gunther, viii, 98.) 

 rtrt. Posterior nostril without tube. (Gi/mno thorax* Bloch & Schneider. ) 



579. JI. mordax Ayres. Conger I.W. 



Dark brown, vaguely reticulated with narrow, paler markings and 

 spots; a round dark blotch about gill-opening; lower side of head and 

 throat with about lo dark lengthwise streaks; belly with similar 

 streaks running crosswise; a dark line on each side of base of anal, 

 with short cross-branches. Snout short, narrow, and pointed. Occip- 

 ital region becoming fleshy and much elevated with age. Tail form- 

 ing about half the total length. Head 7 in length. Tube of anterior 

 nostril half as long as the eye; posterior nostril with a slight border. 

 Eye above the middle of the gape, 2| in snout, which is G in rest of 

 head. Gill-opening slightly larger than eye. Sides of upper jaw with 

 iwo series of teeth posteriorly, the outer series of small, close-set, re- 

 curved, triangular teeth, which are immovable; inner teeth about 5, 

 similar, but larger, depressible; a groove between the two series; in 

 front of these, continuous with the outer series, are 3 fixed, knife- 

 shaped teeth, then a movable tooth, then 3 fixed teeth; on the middle- 

 line of vomer 3 depressible fangs, the posterior the largest of the teeth ; 

 in the lower jaw a single series, corresponding to the outer series in 

 Hie upper jaw, some of the front teeth enlarged and fixed. Beaches a 

 length of 5 feet. Point Concepcion to Cape San Lucas; abundant 

 about the islands, and remarkable for its ferocity. 

 (Ay res, Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. 1859, 30.) 



5SO. Itt. OCOlSata (A.^as-i/) .Tenyns. 



Teeth nniserial, some of them slightly serrated. Mandible with 12-14 

 fi-efh on each side, the two anterior being canines of moderate si/.e; 

 "'intermaxillary 1 " teeth not much larger ihan " maxillary"; there are 

 no teeth on the mesial line, between the "intermaxillary" teeth. The 

 month can be shut completely. Anterior nasal tubes short. Snout 

 short, thick. Kye ralher small. Clet'tof the month of moderate width, 

 extending beyond eye. Tail longer than the body. Head about half 

 as long as trunk. I'.ro\\ nish, with numerous, small round white spots 

 irregularly disposed, the largest about as large as the eye. Dorsal tin 



' l;]o.-ii A. Selmeider, Syst. Ifhtli. .">-'.", .VJ- : originally equivalent to AfurcKna. 

 :, naked; dopctt;, eliesi ; in allusion to the alisciii-r oi pectorals.) 



