FAMILY SYNGNATHID^E — SYNGNATHUS. 319 



Section 2. Lopiiobranchii. 



Gilts in little round tufts, disposed in pairs along the branchial arches, instead of being 

 arranged in continuous series like the teeth of a comb. 



This section constitutes Order V., which contains but one family in our waters. 



FAMILY SYNGNATHIDJE. 



Body mailed with transverse angular plates. Opercle large ; branchial opening very small,, 

 and formed by a membrane which only exhibits vestiges of rays. Dorsal single. Species 

 small. No caca ; with an air-bladder. 



Obs. A small group, containing about fifty species, chiefly from the seas of the tropical 

 and temperate regions. 



GENUS SYNGNATHUS. Linneus, Cuvier. 



Body elongated, slender, covered with a series of indurated plates parallel to each other. 

 Snout prolonged into a tube, with the mouth placed at the extremity. No ventral Jin. 

 Males with a pouch for the reception of the female roe. 



THE BANDED PIPE-FISH. 



SYNGNATHUS FiSCIATUS. 

 PLATE L1V. FIG. 174. — (STATE COLLECTION.) 

 Smaller Pipe-fish, Syngnathus typhle. Mitchill, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. N. Y. Vol. 1, p. 475. 



Characteristics. Ashen grey, with brownish transverse bars across the tail. Dorsal as high 

 as the depth of the body. Length six to ten inches. 



Description. Form irregularly four-sided posterior to the vent, the lower side being largest ; 

 anterior to the vent, the body is polygonal, and covered with horny plates. Above, the sur- 

 face of the back is depressed, and this is produced by the union of a series of carinated plates, 

 which cause a ridge on each side. This ridge is minutely pectinated, and the plates them- 

 selves are vertically striate on the sides. Sides of the body vertical, and covered by a 

 series of carinated plates, which ascend at the vent, and unite at the termination of the dorsal 

 with the carinated plates on the back. Twenty-five of these plates were counted from the 

 opercle to the end of the dorsal. The abdomen is formed by three series of carinated 



