370 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF AUSTRALIAN FISHES, 



Teeth of the saw very unequal in length. Scales minute, 

 nearly smooth, with traces of two or three keels at the base. 

 The greater portion of the dorsal fins and of the upper side of the 

 pectorals, naked. The distance between the tentacle and the 

 nostril is considerably less than that between the nostril and the 

 first gill-opening. From thirty-five to thirty-nine sets of teeth 

 in the upper jaw. 



Tasmania, South Australia. 



Sub-Order II. BATOIDEL 



Gill-openings ventral. Body depressed. Tail generally long. 

 Spiracles always present. Five pairs of gill-openings. No anal fin. 

 Lor sal fin, if present, on the tail. — Rays. 



Family I. PRISTIDiE. 



The snout is produced into an exceedingly flat lamina, armed 

 with a series of strong teeth along each edge. 



Genus Pristis, Latham. 



Body depressed and elongate. Pectoral fins with the front 

 margin quite free, not extending to the head. Grill-openings 

 inferior, inwards of the base of the pectoral fin, of moderate 

 width. Spiracles wide, behind the eye. No nictitating mem- 

 brane. Nostrils inferior ; no tentacles. Teeth minute, obtuse. 

 Dorsal fins without spine, the first opposite or close to the base 

 of the ventrals. 



Tropical and Sub-tropical Seas. 



1106. Pristis zysron, Bleek. 



Gunth., Cat. Fishes VIIL, p. 438. 



Origin of the dorsal fin above the middle of the root of the 

 vontrals. From twenty-six to thirty-two pairs of rostral teeth ; 

 the anterior placed close together, the distance between them not 

 boing more than twice the base of a tooth. The three hindmost 



