PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 425 



X Orthragns, Bafutesque, Caratt. Ale. Nnov. Gen. e Niiov. Sp. Anim, e Piante della Sicilia, 



p. 17, 18 lU. 

 X Ceplialus, Uanzavi, Novi Couiru. Acad. Scient. Bouon., v. 3, tab. after p. 81, 1837.* 

 X Tymi)aiiominm, Uanzani, Novi Comni. Acad. Scient. Bonou., v. 3, tab. after \\. 81, 1837.* 

 X Diplanchias. Ilav:ani, Novi Comm. Acad. Sclent. Bonon., v. 3, tab. after p. 81, 1837.* 

 X Tiviiiatopsie, liCiiizaul, Novi Comui. Acad. Scient. Bonon., v. 3, tab. after p. 81, 1837.* 

 X Ortbragoriscus, Ilatizani, Novi Comm. Acad. Scient. Bonon., v. 3, tab. after p. 81, 1837.* 

 X Ozodura, I?a)i:an'i, Novi Comiti. Acad. Scient. Bonon., v. 3, tab. after p. 81, 1837.* 

 X Pedaliou, GaUdhuj MSS., Siruinson, Nat. Hist, and Class. Fisbes, &g., v. 1, p. 199; v. 



2, pp. 19.5, 329, 1839. 

 = Ortbagoriscus, Su-ai»son, Nat. Hist, and Class. Fisbes, &c., v. 2, i)p. 195, 329, 1839. 

 = Mola, Bonaparfe, Cat. Metotl. Pesci Europoi, xj. 87, 1846. 

 XAIcdon, ('(istehiaii, M<:^ni. sur Poissons Afri(ine Aiist., p. 75, ?1860. 



Molida' with the caudal truncated behind and the skin without lami- 

 nar scutes, but granulated. 



It appears to have been generally overlooked, unless by some Scandi- 

 navian naturalists, that tbis genus first received a name, in 1798, from 

 Cuvier. Bloch had indicated (but without naming) the genus in the 

 Ibl lowing- terms: 



"Ce poisson [Diodon mola], quant a la forme, differe tellement des 

 autres poissons du meme genre, qu'on pourroit avec raison lui consacrer 

 un genre ])articulier, et donuer hi queue tronquee pour un caractere dis- 

 tinctif, comme Ahlrovandi* et Mr. Pennantf out decrit un de ces pois- 

 sons qui etoit long, et que Mr. Pallas en a fait connoitre un rond de 

 cette esi)ece, f ce genre compreudroit trois especes." (IV, 85, j)!. 128.) 



RANZANIA. 



SYNONOMY. 



<^Ortbragoriscus, Bloch, Syst. Icb., Schneider ed., p. .510, 1801. 



<Cepbalns, Show, Gen. Zool., v. 2, p. 432, 1804. 



=Cepbalns, Sicainsoii, Nat. Hist, and Class. Fishes, &c., v. 2, pp. 195, .329, 1839 (not 



of Ranzani). 

 =Ranzauia, Nardo, Ann. Sci. Regno Lombard. Venet., v. 10, p. 105, 1840. 

 =Ortliagoriscus, Bonaimrlc, Cat. Metod. Pesci Enropci, p. 88, 1846. 



jMolida^ with tlie caudal truncated behind and the skin covered with 

 small and mostly hexagonal scutes. 

 Type R. trnncatus=Tctro(Jon iruncatus Retzius. 



MASTUEUS. 



SYNONYJIY. 



Ortbagoriscus sp., Bleeker. 



^Molidte with the caudal extended backwards at the subaxial or sub- 

 median rays, and assuming a mastoid shape, the skin covered behind 

 and below with scutes of various and often elongated forms, the eyes 

 nearer the snout than the branchial apertures, and the pectorals with 

 rays reduced in number. 



Type M. oxyu)'oj)terus= OrtJutf/oriscus oxiiuroptcrns Bleeker. 



■ De Pise, p. 413. t B. Z., Ill, p. 129, n. 54, fig. 7. t Spic. Zool., fasc. VIII, p. 39, tab. 44. 



