FAJIILY-, I— GADID^. 417 



Order, II— ANACANTHINI. 



All the rays of the vertical and ventral fins articulated, the latter, when present, being jugular or 

 thoracic. Air-vessel, if existing, not having a pneumatic duct. 



The order of spineless fishes, or the Anacanthmini, has been divided into sub-orders. 



A. Anaeanthini gadoidei, the two sides of the head symmetrical. 



B. Anaeanthini ^leuronectoidei, the two sides oi the head apjjarently unsymmetrical. 



SYNOPSIS OF FAMILIES. 



A. Anaeanthini gadoidei. 



I. Gadidm. GiU-openings wide, the membranes not attached to the isthmus. Ventral with several 

 rays, or if only one, the first dorsal fin in two portions. Caudal free, or if united to vertical fins, the first 

 dorsal in two portions. Rays of second dorsal well developed. 



II. Ophidiidai. Gill openings wide, gill membranes not attached to the isthmus. Ventral when present 

 rudimentary and jugular. No separate portion of first dorsal fin : caudal usually united to vertical fin. 



A. Anaeanthini gadoidei. 



Family, I— GADID^,* Cuv. 



Gadoidei, pt. Cuv. 



Pseudobranchiae, v?hen present, glandular and rudimentary. Body more or less elongated. GiU- 

 openings wide : gill membranes, as a rule, not being attached to the isthmus. From one to three dorsal fins, 

 occupying nearly the entire length of the back, the rays of the last being well developed : one or two anal 

 fins : caudal usually free, but sometimes united to the dorsal and anal. The dorsal with a separate anterior 

 portion. Ventrals jugular, consisting of several rays, or should they be reduced to a filament, the dorsal fin 

 is divided into two. Scales cycloid, of moderate or small size. Air-vessel and pyloric appendages usually 

 present. 



Genriraphical distrihution. — The fishes of this family are mostly confined to the sea, and as a rule, of the 

 Arctic and temperate regions. The aberrant form Bregmaceros appears to be their sole representative in India. 

 Recently (Nov. 1871) Dr. Giinther has described a fish from Manado (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1871, p. 669) as 

 Pseudophjcis peregrinus, observing that it lives at great depths, and " the discovery of this fish is of the 

 greatest interest, inasmuch as it is the first instance of a true Gadoid being found in the East Indian 

 Archipelago, Bregmaceros being a much less typical form of this family." 



SYNOPSIS OF SINGLE GENUS. 

 1. Bregmaceros. Body fusiform. Two dorsals, the first consisting of an occipital ray : the second and 

 the anal having each a dwarfed central portion. Seas of India to the Philippines. 



Genus, 1 — Bregmaceros, Thompson. 



Calloptiluni, Richardson ; Asthenurus, Tickell. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudohranchice absent.'^ Body fusiform, posteriorly compressed. Gill-openings very 

 tvide, the menihranes being separated nearly to the chin, and not attached to the isthmus. Eyes lateral. Mouth 

 anterior and oblique. Teeth in jaics minute and moveable, also on vomer, none on palate. Two dorsal fins, the 



* Sars observed (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1868, ii, p. 389) that Codfish deposit their ova on the surface of the water, where, 

 having floated for sixteen days, the embryo leaves the ovum, 

 ■f Present in genus Bathymaster. Cope. 



3 H 



