NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 241 



the disk as the ventral fins. His Gobidsox rupestris belongs to the genus 

 Sicyases of Miiller and Troschel. 



The subfamily of Blenninae includes only three genera. The Salarias mar- 

 garitaceus may be referred to the genus Entomacrodus, Gill, if the presence 

 of superciliary tentacles is not considered to be of generic importance. 



The Opisthognathinse are represented by three forms, which appear to me 

 to merit generic rank. The similarity between the three groups is that which 

 should naturally exist between allied genera of a natural tribe or family ; the 

 differences of detail of structure represent generic value. The three genera 

 are Opisthognathus, Cuv. (macro gnathus, P.), with minute scales and extended 

 maxillars ; Gnathypops (maxillosus, P., macrops, P.), with moderately small 

 scales and maxillars passing little beyond the eyes, and Lonchopisthus {microg- 

 nathus, P.), with normal maxillars, moderately small scales and lanceolate 

 caudal fin. Opisthognathus macrognathus, P., if not identical, is at least very 

 closely allied to the slightly previously named 0. megastoma of Giinther. 



The families of Antennarioidse and Maltheoidse, as suggested by Dr. Bleeker, 

 appear to be good. Antennarius must be substituted for Uhironectes, as the 

 latter had been previously used for a valid genus of marsupial mammals. 



The family of Ophidioids naturally contains only the genus Ophidium (L.). 

 Fih-asfer (C.) is the type of a distinct family, known by the position of the 

 anus, the development of the fins, &c. ; the other genera are the very distinct 

 genus Echiodon of Thompson and the Encheliophis of Miiller, which differs 

 from Fierasfer only by the absence of the pectoral fins. The Cuban species 

 is very closely related to Fierarfer Homei (Kaup. ) Synbranchus is the type of 

 a peculiar family (Synbranchoidae, Lat. of Apodes.) 



The true Salrnonoidae are not represented in Cuban nor any tropical waters. 

 Alepidosaurus, Lowe is the type of a very distinct and remarkable family, 

 which is probably most nearly related to the Scombroids and Lepturoids. 

 The Cuban species belong to a peculiar group or genus (Cairfopus, Gill.) The 

 genus Saurus, Cuv., whose prior name is Sy nodus, Gron., is the type of a 

 special family related to the Scopeloids. The S. brevirostris, Poey has an 

 abbreviated trachinoid muzzle and an oblong anal fin, and therefore belongs 

 to the genus Trachinocephalus, Gill. 



Astronesthes, Rich, is a Chauliodontoid. 



Among the Clupeoids, the Meletta thrissa, Val. belongs to the genus Opis- 

 thonema, Gill, which is more distinct than most of the genera of Clupeoids. 



The " Pleuronectes ocellatus, Agz." of I'oey and its allies belong to the genus 

 Platophrys, Swainson. 



Ophisurus is the type of a peculiar family (Ophisuroidse.) 



There is a quite strong analogy between the faunae of the Japanese and 

 West Indian archipelagoes and the neighboring seas. Dr. Giinther has in 

 two instances alluded to the resemblance between West Indian and Japanese 

 fishes. He has remarked,* in his 'observations on his Serrans margaritifer, a 

 South American species, that it "very much resembles the S. tsiremtnara, 

 Faun. Japon., p. 7, pi. 40, fig. 3, which is said to be common in Japan and to 

 have sixteen soft rays in the dorsal fin. Still more remarkable is it that the 

 same plate represents another fish, S. octocinctus, so similar to a West Indian 

 fish, S. mystacinus, that they cannot be separated." Again, f the same gentle- 

 man has observed that the Japanese " Mesoprion spams appears to be closely 

 allied to the" Cuban " Mesoprion dentatus," "and it is a very remarkable 

 fact, in the geographical distribution of fishes, that we find several species, 

 described by Schlegel in the 'Fauna Japonica, ' represented in the Atlantic 

 by others, not or scarcely different, viz., among the Serranina, Anthias ocu- 

 latus, Serranus tsirimenara and margaritiferus, Mesoprion sparui and dentatus." 



* Giinther, Catalogue of the Acanthopterygian Fishes, &c, vol. i. p. 132. 

 f Giinther, op. cit., pol. i. p. 89. 



1862.] 



