228 



SUB-CLASS (AND ORDER) TELEOSTEI. 



Sub-order 7. CATOSTEOMI (GASTROSTEIFORMES). 



Air-bladder, if present, without open duct. Parietals, if pre- 

 sent, separated by supraoccipital. No mesocoracoid. Ventral 



fins abdominal 

 if present. 

 Mouth bordered 

 by the premax- 

 illaries or by 

 them and a small 

 portion of the 



no. 124.— Gasterosteus aculeatus (after Hcckeland Kner, maxillarieS. 



from Claus). 



A. SELENICHTHYES 



Preoperculum and symplectic distinct ; branclaial apparatus fully 

 developed ; mouth terminal, toothless ; post-temporal forked, free ; 

 pelvic bones connected with the scapular arch ; pelvics with fifteen to 

 seventeen rays ; ribs long, sessile ; fins without spines. 



Fam. 41. Lamprididae. 

 Body short and deep, with 

 miiaute scales. Lampris 

 Retzius ; L. luna Gmelin, 

 the opah or king-fish, to 

 4 ft., N. Atl. and Med. 



B. HEMIBRANCHII. 



Gills pectinate. Post- 

 temporal furcate. Superior 

 pharyngeal bones reduced in 

 number, the bones of the 

 gill-arches also reduced ex- 

 cept in Gasterosteidae ; in- 

 ferior pharyngeal bones pre- 

 sent, not united. Pelvic 

 fins abdominal. Mouth 

 bounded above by premax- 

 illaries only. Basis of cra- 

 nium simple and without 

 tube. Mouth small, at the 

 end of the snout which is 

 usually produced. 



Fam. 42. Gasterosteidae. 

 Sticklebacks. Body elon- 

 gate, compressed, cleft of 

 the mouth oblique, villiform 

 teeth in the jaws. Opercular 

 bones not armed. Scales 

 none, but generally large scutes along the side 



Fia. 125.— Nest of Gasterosteus pitnQitixis (from Claus 

 after Landois). 



Isolated spines in 



