Jordan and Ever7nann. — Fishes of North America. 387 



dark borders formed by spots ; pectoral black at tip, the remainder more 

 or less dusky. West Indian Fauna, north to Pensacola; rather common; 

 variable.* (j«<er, between; iiwciws, colored.) 



Ophistirm intcrlinctus, Richardson, Voy. Erebus & Terror, Fishoe, 102, 1844, West Indies. 

 Ophimirm sugillalni', Kichardson, Voy. Erebus & Terror, 103, 1S44, probably West Indies. 

 Crotalopsis 2"inctifer, Kaup, Abhandl. Wiss. Verein Ilamb., iv, 2, 12, pi. 1, fig. 3, 1860, Puerto 



Cabello. 

 Conger tuordax, Poey, Memorias, ii, 319, 18G0, Cuba. 

 OphichOnjs schneideri, Stf.indachner, Icli. Beitr., viii, 66, 1879,Brazil. 

 Macrodonophis mordax, Poey, Repertorio, ii, 252, 1868. 

 OphichOnjs pvnctifer, Gunthee, Cat., 50, 1870. 

 Ophichthys ititertinclus, GiiNTHER, Cat., viii, 57, 1870 ; .Ioudan, I'roc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1884, 43; 



Jordan, Cat. Fish. N. A., 53, 1885 ; Jordan & Davis, I. c, 635. 

 Crotalv2)sis mordax, GooDE & Bean, Proo. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1879, 344. 



185. SCYTALICHTHYS, Jordan & Davis. 



Scytalichthys, Jordan & Davis, Apodal Fishes, 635, 1892, {iniunts). 



This genus contains a single species allied to Mystriophia, but dis- 

 tinguished by the presence of movable canines on the vomer, and by the 

 very short tail. {(^nvTtOijj, viper; «V?t'f, fish.) 



636. SCYTALICHTHYS MIURUS (Jordan & Gilbert). 

 Vomerine teeth in one series of about 4 slender depressible canines; 

 tail very short, much shorter than rest of body. Dorsal fin inserted well 

 behind tip of pectorals ; gill opening midway between eye and begin- 

 ning of dorsal fin; pectoral fin very short, as long as snout, 10 in head; 

 snout short, 4 in cleft of mouth ; head depressed and pointed, the mouth 

 large; teeth long, those on vomer and side of lower jaw canine-like; 

 teeth of upper jaw biserial, rather small; lower teeth uniserial ; vomer- 

 ine teeth uniserial ; eye small, placed well forward ; gill openings 

 small, transverse, inferior, as in Ccccula imberhis, the slit as long as 

 snout and wider than isthmus ; head 44 in the very long trunk ; tail 

 1} in rest of body ; cleft of mouth 2j in head. Coloration light yellow- 

 ish, a series of roundish dark brown blotches on each side of body, the 

 two series alternating ; two alternating series of small half blotches on 

 the back, these coalescing into one on median line before dorsal; head 

 with small, dark spots; sides of lower jaw spotted; fins pale. Length 

 1 foot. Cape San Lucas ; two specimens known, {fieinvpor, curtailed, 

 from the short tail.) 



Ophichthijn miiirus, Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1882, 357, Cape San Lucas. 



(Type, No. 2304. Coll. Xautus.) 

 Mystriophis miurtis, Jordan & Davis, /. c, 636. 



186. BRACHYSOMOPHIS, Kaup. 



Bradiysomophis, Kavp, Apodes, 9, 185C, {hnrridns). 



1 AchirophiclUhys, Blebker, Poissons Ined. Mureues, Ned. Tijdschr. Dierk., 11, 42, [lyptis = young). 



* Possibly Tiioro than one species is here included. Schneideri is said to have the vomerino teeth 

 biserial, while in "pHnrHlW" (mordar) they are triserial. In the true lo^eWiHrtiis the teeth aro 

 biserial in front and uniserial behind, while in xugiUdlim the vomerino teeth are said to be unise- 

 rial. In swjdlidns, the pectoral is said to be longer tlian in iiilirtinctus, as long as eye and snuut. 

 Our specimens have the teeth biserial or partly triserial in front. Probably all belong to one 

 species. If two species exist they may stand as intertiiicltis aud ptinciifcr. 



