Jordan and Evermann. — Fishes of N^orth America. 2313 



brane ; ventrals pale. Length about 6i iuches. Gulf of Mexico, in 27 to 

 88 fathoms; 1 specimen known. (ai6»s, white; 5f?</te, spot.) 



Gathetostoma albigutta, Bean, Proc. U. S. Kat. Mus. 1892, 121, Gulf of Mexico, at Alba- 

 tross Station 2403, Lat. 28° 42' 30" N., Lon. 85° 29' 00" W. (Type, No. 39304, U. S. 

 Kat. Mus.) 



Suborder HAPLODOCI. 



This group is distinguished mainly by the undivided post-temporal, the 

 reduction in the number of gill arches to 3, and by the absence of pecu- 

 liarities shown by related forms. One family. {ccTtAdoi, 8imj)le; doHo<;, a 

 shaft or beam, from the form of the post-temporal.) 



Family C'XCVIII. BATRACHOIDID^E. 



(The ToAD-FisiiEs.) 



Body more or less robust, depressed anteriorly, compressed behind; head 

 large, depressed, its muciferous channels well developed; mouth A^ery 

 large, the teeth generally strong; premaxillaries protractile; gills 3, a 

 slit behind the last; pseudobrauchiie none; gill openings restricted to the 

 sides, the membranes broadly united to the isthmus; brauchiostegals 

 mostly 6; gill rakers present, moderate; suborbital without bony stay; 

 post-temporal bone simple, undivided; scales small, cycloid, or wanting; 

 dorsal fins 2, the first of 2 or 3 low, stout .spines; soft dorsal very long; 

 anal fin similar, but shorter; ventrals rather large, jugular, I, 2 or I, 3; 

 pectorals very broad, the rays branched; pyloric ca-ca none; tail diphy- 

 cercal, the caudal fin distinct, rounded ; vertebra' in large numl)er, 32 to 45. 

 Carnivorous coast fishes, mostly of the warm seas, some of them ascend- 

 ing rivers; the young of some or all the species fasten themselves to rocks 

 by means of an adhesive A-entral disk, which soon disappears. In some 

 species the spines of the head and dorsal fin are provided with poison 

 glands. Genera 7; species about 15. {Batrachida', Giiuther, Cat., iii, 

 166-177.) 



a. Dorsal spines 3; opercle developed as 2 strong diverging spines; suboperelc rather 



strong, with 2 spines similar to those of opercle; no venoia glands. 



b. Body scaly; branches of siibopercular spine subequal and diverging; frontal 



region broad, tiat, and slightly depressed, its median ridge rather j^romi- 



nent. I'.ATRACHOiDEy, 858. 



bb. Body scaleless ; branches of siibopercular spine parallel, the lower branch 



much the shorter; vertebra) 10-|-22; frontal region not depressed, its 



median ridge prominent; axil with a large foramen. Opsanus, 859. 



aa. Dorsal spines 2; opercle very small, its posterior part developed as a single strong 



spine; subopercle feebly developed, narrowed, and not ending in a spine; body 



scaleless. 



c. Spines solid, without venom glands ; several lateral lines on sides of head and 



body, composed of pores and shining spots, some of these accompanied by 



cirri; canine teeth present; vertebras 12 + 31; frontal region depressed, 



forming a triangular area below level of temporal region, its median ridge 



very low. POKICHTHYS, 860. 



cc. Spines of dorsal fin and operculum hollow and connected with venom glands; 



lateral line on sides of body single ; no canine teeth. 



d. Dorsal and anal free from caudal. Thalassopheyne, 861. 



dd. Dorsal and anal fully joined to caudal. D^ctoe, 862. 



3030 68 



