52 



We now know of nine Indian genera, which are shown in the following 



table. 



Synopsis of the Indian genera of the family Pediculati. 



I. Gills three and a half or two and two halves: no pseudobranchiae : 

 an air-bladder : no pyloric caeca. Body compressed and elevated : 

 the spinous dorsal consists of 3 isolated spines, of which the first 

 is a rostral tentacle ... ... ... ... Antennarius. 



II. Gills three : small pseudobranchiae present : no air-blader : two 

 pyloric caeca. Head and anterior part of body depressed, disk- 

 like : the spinous dorsal consists of # from 3 to 6 spines, of which 

 the first 3 are long isolated tentacles ... ... ... Lophids. 



III. Gills two and a half : no air-bladder : no pyloric caeca : — 



1. Body elevated: mouth-cleft oblique or nearly vertical: the 



spinous dorsal consists of 1 or 2 unprotected tentacles. 



No pseudobranchia? : — 



i. Ventral fins present ... ... ... Chaunax. 



ii. Ventral fins absent : — 



a. Skin covered with prickles ... ... Ceratias. 



b. Skin smooth ... ... ... ... Onikodes. 



2. Head and anterior part of body depressed, disk-like : mouth 



horizontal : the spinous dorsal consists of a single tentacle 

 lodged in a bony cavity above the mouth. Pseudobran- 

 chiae rudimentary, but distinct ... ... ... Halieutma. 



IV. Gills two : no pseudobranchiae : no air-bladder : no pyloric caeca. 



Head, etc., depressed, disk-like : mouth-cleft horizontal, not wide : 

 the spinous dorsal consists of a single tentacle lodged in a bony 

 cavity above the mouth : — 



1. Soft dorsal fin present : — 



i. Teeth in the jaws only ... ... ... Dibranchcs. 



ii. Teeth in the jaws, vomer, and palatines ... ... Malthopsis. 



2. No soft dorsal fin ... ... ... ... Halichetus. 



Lophius, Artedi. 



Lophius, Artedi, Genera Piscium p. 62 : C a v. and Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss. XII. p. 339: Giinther, Cat. Fishes, 

 II. p. 178 : Goode and Bean, Ocpanic Ichthyology, p. 485 : 



Lophius and Lophiomus, Jordan and Evermann, Fishes N. America III. pp. 2713, 2714. 



Head exceedingly large, forming a broad disk with the eyes on its upper 

 surface. Mouth exceedingly wide, the lower jaw projecting: jaws and palate 

 with cardiform teeth. Skin naked : bones of the head with numerous spines. 

 The tbree anterior dorsal spines, which are situated on the head, are isolated 

 and are modified to form tentacles : the posterior dorsal spines vary in number 

 from one to three, and when numbering three form a continuous fin. Soft 

 dorsal and anal short. Gills three. Pseudobranchias present, small. Pyloric 

 appendages two. 



