CHONDROPTERYGII. SQUALID.'E. 



TAB. VI. 



ACANTHIDIUM PUSILLUM, Nob. 



Raimudo pequeno, ou Gata negra. 



Little Black Spine-Shark. 



Char. Gen. 



Corpus gracile, elongatum. Spiracula magna. Caput fomicatum, subinflatum. Rostrum de- 

 pressum, obtusum, crassura, subtrilobum ; naribus terminalibus. Dentes utriusque maxilki:; dispares, 

 parvi ; superioris ut in Sajliis laniarii s. conico-acuminati, tenues, recti ; basi utrinque dcnticulis 

 aucti ; antice triseriati, lateribus biseriati : maxillae inferioris incisorii, acumine utrinque a medio 

 oblique deflexo, uniseriati. Fissurse branchiales quinque omnes ante pinnas pectorales. Membrana 

 nictitans nulla. 



Pinnae dorsales duse, antice spiniferae, spiiiis recurvis ; pinna secunda majore, postica, caudae ap- 

 proximata. Pinnae ventrales subposticaj s. secunda dorsali subanteriores. Pinna caudalis lobo su- 

 periore majore, producto, oblique oblongo, truncato ; gelasino basali nuUo. Pinna analis nulla. 



Obs. — Squali regionis temperatae parvi, nigrescentes, subtus fere nigriores. Genus inter Spinacein 

 Cuv. et Centrinam Cuv, intermedium. 



Char. Spec. 



A. atrum, scabro-granidatum ; ore fissurisque branchialibus spiracidisque intus albis : pinnae pec- 

 torales ventralibus majores. 



A. pusillum, Suppl. Syn. Mad. Fish, in Proceed. Zool. Soc. 1839, p. 91. 



Centrina? nigra. Proceed. Zool. Soc. 1833, p. 144. — Syn. Mad. Fish, in Trans. Zool. Soc. p. 194. 



Lotiffii. = 10 — 12 poll. 

 Tempus, per totum annum. 

 Locus, in mediis profiuidis : rariss. 



The tribe or family of Sharks is part of one of those aberrant groups, 

 "which, in the general form and habits of the species, retain many charac- 

 ters of the true fishes ; but begin in certain other points of structure to 

 lead off, sometimes to the higher, sometimes to the lower forms or types 

 of animal organisation. The Sharks, speaking restrictively, retain the 

 shape, the gills, the fins of fishes ; and are but as it were occasionally, 

 or by accident, like the Reptilia, viviparous. Yet even in their outward 

 aspect is there something, which inclines the most cursory observer to 

 hesitate regarding the propriety of classing them amongst the Fishes ; 

 a difficulty which, in almost every language, has been indicated by the de- 

 signation of the tribe by a particular name. 



VOL. 1. H 



