81 , 347 



serrated saw. Ribs could not be observed." Regarding Sungnathiis aciis Kr. says (p. 701): 

 "The vertebral column consists of 66 vertebræ', the 22 of which are situated over the abdom- 

 inal cavity, the remaining 44 may be regarded as caudals. Thus the vertebræ in number 

 agree with the (transverse) row\s of scutes; they are proportionately large and strong. In all 

 the abdominal vertebrae the transverse processes are strongly developed in length, while 

 the spinous processes may be said almost to be absent, the neural canal generally appear- 

 ing in the shape of a simple roof with sharp crest. On the two last abdominal vertebræ, 

 however, and on the eight anterior caudals, i e. on the vertebræ carrying the dorsal fin, 

 are found, quite as in the preceding species {S. lyphle), strongly developed spinous processes 

 of peculiar shape, each formed by four divergent rays (only exceptionally five or three). 

 The interspinous bones, attached to these rays, are of an extreme slenderness. The 

 transverse processes of the vertebræ decrease in length with the beginning of the dorsal fin, 

 and disa])pear, almost completely vanishing, at its end. The transverse processes of the first 

 vertebræ in the pipe-fishes are of peculiar form: large, flat, blade- or wing-shaped, behind 

 strongly elongated (quite to the transverse processes of the next vertebra), and pointed like 

 a dagger. The inferior spinous processes begin to appear on the first caudal, but they 

 are always very small, and the canal, which they form for the blood-vessels, is very incom- 

 plete, because they only take up a small part of the length of the vertebræ, thus large 

 interspaces being left between them. On the other hand the lower surface of the caudals is 

 hollowed out into a rather deep furrow." In a similar way Kr. describes the column at 

 length in Xerophis æquoreiis. Here he finds 82 vertebræ, about 30 belonging to the abdominals; 

 he points out the difference from the preceding in the shape of the transverse processes. 

 Regarding the vertebræ, supporting the dorsal fin, he says; "In the vertebræ, lying under the 

 dorsal fin :24th to 35th, both included, or the eight last abdominal and a pair of the anterior 

 caudal vertebræ the spinous processes divide each into three to four large spines, supporting 

 the same number of strong interspinous bones." About the last caudal vertebræ, carrying 

 the rudimentary caudal fin, is said that it appears to have no plate-shaped enlargement at 

 its end. 



Kner (28 a, p. 57—58) in his description of the muscles of the dorsal fin and the action 

 of the latter as a locomotory apparatus, mentions that in Syngnathus "die langen Flossen- 

 träger am Skelete in fächerartig auslaufende Bündel gestellt sind, und zwar sitzen bei 

 Syngn. riibescens acht solche Bündel, deren jedes aus 3—5 Flossenträgern besteht, auf eben 

 so vielen Wirbeln auf .... Bei Hipimcamptis sind dagegen die langen Flossenträger fast 

 parallel, nur die vorderen und hinteren etwas divergirend und die Flosse sitzt wenigstens 

 bei Hipp, giiltiilaliis: bloss auf drei Wirbeln auf, deren obere Schenkelbögen statt einfache 

 Dornfortsätze zu bilden, sich sogleich in drei kurze strahlig auslaufende Knochenfasern 

 zertheilen, auf welche die Flossenträger sodann aufsitzen." Kners statements are repeated 

 by Di'MÉRiL (12 a, p. 140, b, p. 475) without any further additions of his own; only p. 142, p. 476 

 he mentions as a character of these fishes, the absence of ribs. Cope (8 p. 457) remarks: 

 "Anterior vertebræ modified, the diapophyses much expanded.' Moreai' ^36, p. 29): "Les ver- 

 tèbres correspondent aux anneaux du corps et sont par conséquent en nombre égal; elles 

 sont relativement développées, grosses et longues avec très grandes apophyses. Les apophyses 

 épineuses sont généralement larges, elles présentent au niveau de la dorsale une disposition 

 singulière, elles se divisent en tiges plus ou moins nombreuses qui sont en rapport avec 

 autant d'interépineux." p. 30 the latter point is repeated with the addition, that "ces tiges 

 sont tantôt presque droites, parallèles Hippocampes, tantôt divergentes comme les branches 

 d'un éventail Syngnathes). Les intercpineux ont leur extrémité supérieure très-développée." 



Ryder 48, p. 197 and PI. XYIL; observed in the "larvæ " of Hippocampus the distal 

 segment of the interspinous bones as a separate cartilage, articulated to the still cartilaginous 

 proximal part. "In adult specimens, the interspinous basalia which are at this young stage 



' In CrviERs's Leçons etc. I, p. 232 the same number is given for Siinç/n. actis: for Hippocampus 

 15 -f 46 = 61. 



I). K. n.Vldensk.Selsk. Skr.. 7. Række, nalurvldcnsk. og mathem. Afd. VIII. ö. 45 



