248 



XX. FAMILY OF THE SUCKERS. 

 CYCLOPTERID^. 



Rp^presentatives in British Fauna. — Gen. 3, Sp. 5. 



Gen. 86. Lepadogaster. Sp. 1 86. L.Cormihiensis. Comish Sucker 

 1 87. L. 6r//iacwZaitw. Two-Spotted 

 ditto. 



87. Cyclopterus. . 188. C. lumjyv^. . Lump do. 



88. LiPARis. . . . \8Q.L. vulgaris. Unctuous do. 



1 90. Zi. Monfagui. Montagu's do. 



This family is of very limited extent, most of the 

 species of comparatively small size, and not of much 

 importance in an economical point of view. It cor- 

 responds to the third family of Cuvier's Malacop- 

 terygii Sub-brachiati, named by him Discoboli, from 

 a very striking peculiarity in their structure. The 

 ventral fins are very much dilated beneath, and 

 surround a circular disk, which acts as a sucker. 

 By means of this instrument these fishes are able to 

 retain their place in a strong current of water, and 

 obtain food in places where most other kinds of fish 

 would be swept away. 



Gen. LXXXYI. Lepadogaster.* — In this ge- 



* This term is derived from X^ttcs a shell and yatrrt^ the 

 belly, in reference to the shell-shaped sucker formed by the 

 Centrals. Some authors, among others I\Ir. Jenyns and Mr. 

 Yarrell, write the word as if it were derived from xtirii, a 

 Bcale. 



