N0.123;). APODAL FISHES OF JAPAy— JORDAN AND SNYDER. 863 



One specimen 13 inches long, from a rock pool at Wakanoura, No. 

 6473, Leland Stanford Junior Musoiun. 



Named for Dr. S. Hatta, of the Imperial University, of Tokyo, in 

 recognition of his excellent paper on the Lampre3^s of Japan. 



23. MUR^NICHTHYS AOKI Jordan and Snyder, new species. 



Body elongate, worm-shaped, the depth 4 in head; head 3f in trunk; 

 head and trunk 1| in tail; eye 2^ in snout; snout rather long and sharp, 

 5^ in head; cleft of mouth 3| in head, extending somewhat l)ehind 

 eye; dorsal tin rudimentaiy, inserted behind vent at a distance equal 

 to about 2 times length of snout. Lateral line curved upward over 

 the throat. Color brownish, with dark dots; sides silvery; tins plain. 



This species is close to Murwnicht/n/s hattm^ but has a shorter 



Fig. 13.— Mue^nichthys aoki. 



head, longer, sharper snout, and the dorsal beginning farther forward. 

 The type spechnen No. 6474, Stanford LTniversity Museum, 7i inches 

 long, is from a rock-pool at Misaki. It may prove indistinguishable 

 from J/. ]iottit\ but the ditferences seem far too great for the limits 

 of one species. 



Named for Kumakichi Aoki, tisherman, assistant to Dr. Mitsukuri 

 in the Marine Laobratory at Misaki, and one of the best collectors in 

 Japan. 



Family VIII. OPHICHTHYID^. 



SNAKE EELS. 



This family includes those true eels which are scaleless, and have 

 the end of the tail projecting beyond the dorsal and anal fins, and 

 without the rudiment of a caudal tin. Anterior nostrils placed in the 

 upper lip, opening downward; gill openings not coniluent; tongue 

 more or less fulh" adnate to the iloor of the mouth. The species are, 

 for the most part, moderate or small in size, and they are very abun- 

 dant in the tropical seas, especially about the coral reefs. The eggs are 

 numerous, of moderate size, similar to those of ordinary iishes. Spe- 

 cies numerous, especially in the Tropics. Many of the species are 

 singularly colored, the bands or spots heightening the analogy between 

 them and the serpents. 



a. Body without evident fins anywhere except a sUght ridge along back ; teetli all 

 small, conical; gill openings close together, subinferior, converging forward; 

 anterior nostril tubular; tongue scarcely free iu front; mouth small. 



Sphagebruuclms. 13. 



