Jordan and Everviann. — Fishes of North America. 381 



OphirhOius evionth'ts, Joudan & lioLLMAN, Proo. U. S. Kat. Mug., 188it, 154, Hood Island, Gala- 

 pagos Archipelago. (Type, No. 41476. Coll. Albatross.) 

 Quassircmiis evioiithiu, Jordan & Davis, I. c, 023. 



183. OPHICHTHUS, Thuuberg&Ahl. 



Ophklilhnx, Tiivnuekc & Ahl, Dc Blviirona ft Ophichtho, 178'J, {<'j)his). 



Coii'jriis, KAFiNES(iUE, Garattcri, etc., 62, ISIO, {muculatus). 



Ophisunts, SwAiNSON, Kat. Hist. Olassii. Auim., 11, 334, 1839, {pU-tus ^- macttlulus). (Not of 



Lac£p£de ; the type of L.ace1'£de, as restricted by Kisso, being serpens.) 

 Ceutrurophis, Kaup, Apodes, 2, 1856, (spadicens). 

 Paccilocephalus, Kaup, I. c, 5, (bonapartei). 

 Microdonophis, Kaup, I. c, 0, {altijnnnis). 

 Ca'cilophis, Kaup, I. c, C, (compar). 

 Herpetoichlliiis, Kaup, I.e., 7, {omatissimus). 

 Elapsopsis, Kaup, I. <:., 9, (versicolor). 



3Iurimopsis, Kaup, /. c, 11, (ocellatiis). (The name wrougly accredited to Le Sueur.) 

 S^:ytulo^^his, Kaup, I. c, 13, (magniofuUs). 

 Leplorhinophis, Kaup, I. c, 14, {tjomesii). 

 Cryploptents, Kaup, Aalo Hamburg, 1859, (pimctifeps). 

 VranichOiys, Poey, Repertorio, 11, 250, 1807, {haranuensis). 

 Oxijodontkhthijs, PoEY, Anales Soc. Nat. Hist. Esp., 254, 1880, {macrurns). 

 Ophichthijs, Bleeker, Guntiier, and of recent authors generally. 



This genus contains all the Ophisuroid. eels which have sharp teeth, no 

 marked canines, well-deveIoi>ed. pectoral fins, and the dorsal inserted 

 behind the head. The species are very numerous in the tropical seas, and 

 many attempts have been made to split the group into smaller genera. 

 Notwithstanding the great difierences when extremes are compared, these 

 small genera can not be well defined, {whc, snake; /,\;fi'f, fish; hence more 

 correctly written Ophichthys.) 



a. Teeth of upper jaw in 2 or 3 series. 



h. Teeth of lower jaw uuiserial or nearly so ; vomerine teeth in 1 series or slightly biserial 

 in front. 

 Cryptopterus, (KpuTTTos, concealed ; incfiov, fin) : 



c. Coloration uniform or nearly so ; teeth of lower jaw not iiuito uniserial ; tail half 

 longer than rest of body. puncticeps, 625. 



Ophichthus : 



cc. Coloration not uniform ; anterior teeth slightly enlarged ; eye rather large, 

 nearly median. 



d. Sides of body Avitli large, round, black spots ; head with smaller ones ; dorsal 



inserted opposite tip of pectorals. iiavannensis, 626. 



dd. Sides of body with large, round, w hitish spots ; dorsal inserted behind tip of 



pectorals. betropinnis, 627. 



66. Teeth of lower jaw in 2 to 4 series. 



MuR-KNOPSls, {Murtrnu; 6i|/ts, appearance) : 

 e. Vomerine teeth in one row ; anterior teeth of jaws or vomer sometimes enlarged ; 

 teeth in both jaws biserial, those of the inner series sometimes small and turned 

 inward. 

 /. Spots on sides of body large and whitish, never black. 



g. Dorsal beginning an eye's diameter behind tip of pectoral, outtifek, 628. 

 gg. Dorsal beginning over or just before tip of pectoral. ocei.latus, 629. 



ff. Spots on sides of body large and black ; tail half longer than rest of boil}'. 



triserialis, 630. 

 ScYTALOPHis, (o-kutoLAt), viper; o<f)t?, snake) : 



ee. Vomerine teeth biserial throughout; teeth in both jaws biserial, subecjual ; no 

 canines. Color plain brownish. 



