350 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



The family should be limited to the genera Sternopiyx and Argyrope- 

 lecus, constituting the subfamily Sterno2)tychina of Giluther. The Chau- 

 Uodontina form a neighboring family, and the Cocciina are but dis- 

 tantly related. The Sternoptychkke^ thus restricted, exhibit a number 

 of peculiarities and noteworthy characteristics. The most striking, in 

 some respects, is the mode of articulation of the scapular arches. These 

 are connected with and impinge on the occiput behind and on each 

 other, and are otherwise free from the cranium. Mr. J. A. Eyder, to 

 whom I communicated this observation, informed me that he had noticed 

 the same peculiarity in Cyclothone. This near relation and possible 

 congener of Gojwstoma, and apparently member of the family Chaulio- 

 clontidce, is thus shown to be allied to the Sternoptychidce. The pecu- 

 liarity in question seems to entitle the fishes exhibiting it to be isolated 

 from the others, and the name Iniomi* may be used for the group. 



By Dr. Giinther, and various others following him, the Sternoptychidce 

 are said to have " a rudimentary spinous dorsal fin." This statement is 

 the result of a misapprehension or misinterpretation of morphological 

 facts. There is nothing like a true "'rudimentary spinous dorsal fin." 

 To call the projection of a neural spine or the result of " several neural 

 spines being prolonged beyond the muscles " a Jin is to exhibit or convey 

 a gross misconception of the morphology of fishes. 



STEKXOPTYCHID^. 



FAMILY SYNONYMS. 



=Sternoptyges, DumerU, Zoologie Analytique, p. loO, 1806. 



^Stemottidi, Rafineaque, Caratteri di ale. nuovi gen. e n. sp. d Animale, etc., di Sicilia, 



53ord., 1810. 

 <^Pomanchia, Bafinesque, Analyse de la Nature, 25 fam., 1815. 

 =Sternoptisin?e, Handyside, Edinburgh New Phil. Journ., v. 27, p. 326, 1839. 

 =Sternoptygoidei, Bleek^r, Enum. Sp. Piscium ArcMpel. Indico. p. xxxii, 1859. 

 <Sternoptychida?, Giinther, Cat. Fishes in Brit. Mus., v. 5, p. 383, 1864. 

 =Sternoptychid£e, Gill, Arrangement Fam. of Fishes, p. 15, 1872. 

 =^Argyropeleci, Fitzinger, Sitzungsber. k. Akad. der Wissensch. (Wien), v. 67, 1 Abth., 



p. 33, 1873. 

 <Stemoptychidaj, Jordan and Gilbert, Sya. Fishes, N. Am., p. 283, 1882. 



SUBFAMILY SYNONYMS. 



<^Sternoptygia, Bafinesque, Analyse de la Nature, 1. s. fam. of 25 fam., 1815. 

 =Sternoptygini, Bonaparte, Fauna Italica, Pesci,fols. 119, 121, 1640, 

 =Stemoptygini, Bonaparte, Consp. Syst. Ichthyologise, 1850. 

 =Sternoptychina, Giinther, Cat. Fishes in Brit. Mus., v. 5, p. 384, 1864. 



Salmouoides gen., Cuvier. 



Salmonides gen., Latreille. 



Salmonidse Salmoninai gen., Swainson (ii,291). 



Scopelidre s. fam., Banaparte. 



Scopelidifi ^en., Adams. 



Scopelini gen., ^M7?er. 



Characines gen. dub., Dumeril. 



Iniomes with a compressed ventradiform t body, carinated contour, 



*^Iviov (gen. iviov), nape and (y/^of, shoulder. 



t Ventradiform, a form projecting in the ventral or preaual region. 



II 



