NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 127 



Nearly allied to the preceding are the Centrolophinae, with the genera Cen- 

 trolophus Lac, Leirus Lowe and Palinurichthys Gill, Blkr., (=Pammelas Gthr.) 

 Closely connected to the Centrolophinae are the genera Sckcdophilus Cocco and 

 Moplocoryphis Gill, (type Schedophilus maculatus Gthr.) 



Brama and Taractes appear t j belong to a peculiar family, 



Pteraclis Gronovius and Plerocombus Fries, the latter of which has been over- 

 looked by Dr. Giinther, seem to constitute a distinct group. 



Diana Risso and Luvarus Raf. (=Ausonia Risso) probably also constitute a 

 distinct family, as well as Lampris Eetzius. Mene is more related to Equula. 



Coryphcena is the type of a peculiar family early established. The genus 

 Lampugus is probably, as Bonaparte and Giiuther have believed, identical with 

 it. Valenciennes has announced* a discovery of M. Dussumier proving that 

 the interparietal crest of the male is much more elevated than that of the 

 female, while Dr. Giinther considers the elevation of the crest as the accom- 

 paniment of mature age. 



Several forms referred by Dr. Giinther to his family of Carangidse should be 

 also withdrawn. They are Pammeias Gthr., which is nearly allied to Centro- 

 lophus, Pseltus Com., Platax Cuv. et Val., Zanclus Com., Capros L., Antigonia 

 Lowe, Equula Cuv. and Gazza Riippell, as well as the group Kurtina. 



Capros and Antigonia form a family already established by Mr. Lowe ; to it 

 also belongs the genus Hypsinotus (Temm. et Schlegel), included by Giinther 

 in the group of Chaetodontina and family of Chaetodontidae. 



Equula and Gazza represent another peculiar family (Equuloidaa Blkr.) ; the 

 Equula longimanus of Cantor, is the type of a distinct genus (Clara Gill), dis- 

 tinguished by the composition of the fins (D. X. 15. A. IV. 13), the large 

 scales, entire preoperculum and long pectorals. 



It is, perhaps, also somewhat doubtful whether Psenes (Cuv. et Val.) belong* 

 to the Caranproids, but it would be premature to separate them until better 

 known. The Trachinotus anomalus of Temminck and Schlegel referred to Psenes 

 differs by the presence of seven branchiostegal rays and of only six dorsal 

 spines ; it may be called Psenopsis anomalus. The genus has a superficial re- 

 semblance to Crius or Palinurichthys. 



Descriptions of new species of ALEPIDOSAUROID.E. 

 BY THEODORE GILL. 



In this paper are described two new species of the family of Alepidosauroids, 

 both of which are found in the waters of Western North America, and a third 

 from the Carribean Sea is indicated. They all belong to that subgenus or 

 genus whose members have a spine and twelve branched rays in each of the 

 ventral fins, and of which the only other known species has been very recently 

 described by M. Poey in his " Memorias Sobra la Historia Natural de la Isla 

 de Cuba." The three species appear to agree in all other respects with Ahpi- 

 dosaurus, and have the same elevated dorsal fin. 



The family of Alepidosauroidae, including the species now described, appears 

 to include seven species, but they require to be critically examined and rede- 

 scribed, as the descriptions hitherto published are not sufficiently character- 

 istic to establish their distinction. Two (Alepidosaurus ferox Lowe and A. 

 azureus Val.) are inhabitants of Madeira, while a third (A. Richardtonii Bikr. ) 

 is found at New Zealand. 



The family of Alepidosauroids still appears to me to be more nearly allied 

 to the Lepturoidse than Siluroidae, as has been urged by Mr. Lowe, with 

 whom Sir John Richardson, and perhaps Parnell alone of all the native na- 

 turalists of Britain, can well contest the palm of excellence as a scientific 



* Cuv- et Val. Hist, Nat. des Poisaons. torn? xsi. p. 8. 



1862] 



