Jordan and Rvermann. — Fishes of North America. 761 



lltPPOCAMPlN.T; : 



ii<r. Tail preliensile; caudal fin small; head shaped liketliat of a horse, placed at a largean^le 

 with axis of body; egg pouch at has* of tail. 

 ;/. Body compressed; occiput with a narrow bony crest, surmounted by a coronet; shields 

 with tubercles or spines. IIu'I'OCami'us, ^48. 



344. SIPHOSTOMA,* Rafinesque. 



Siphnstnma, Kafinesque, Caratteri Nuovi Generi, 18, 1810, (pelagicus). 



Siftignathus, SwAixsoN, Nat. Hist. Class'n. Anini., 11, 1839, 332, {acus), and of writers generally; 



not of LiN."J.Ers, as first restricted by Rafinesque. 

 ■ ndlicampus, Kaup, Lophobrauchii, 22, 1850, (grayi). 

 Trachyrhamphiis, Kaup, Lophobr., 23, 185G, (soratus). 

 CorylhroichOujs, Kaiip, Lophobr., 25, 1856, {albirostrif:). 

 Dermal osieOms, Gin, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1802,283, (ptmctipinnis). 



Body elongate, very slender, 6 or 7 angled, not compressed, tapering 

 into a very long tail ; the dorsal keels of the trunk not continuous with 

 those of the tail. Head slender, tapering into a long, tube-like, subterete 

 snout, which bears the very short, toothless jaws at the end. Humeral 

 bones firmly united with the "breast ring." Body covered with a series 

 of bony, keeled, radiated plates, arranged in linear series. Dorsal fin 

 distinct, rather short, inserted before or opposite the vent, which is 

 near the middle of the body ; caudal fin present, rather small ; anal fin 

 minute, close behind vent : pectorals developed, short and rather broad. 

 Male fishes with an egg pouch aloug the under side of the tail, formed by 

 tAvo cutaneous folds, and splitting lengthwise to release the young fishes. 

 Species very numerous, inhabiting all warm seas; abounding in bays 

 among the seaweeds, and entering the rivers. The females in most 

 species are deeper than the males, with more robust trunk, with longer 

 snout, and a more distinct ventral keel, (a/ow!, tube ; aroua, mouth.) 



a. Top of head with a slight carination or none; snout keeled or not; opercle without promi- 

 nent ridge; base of dorsal not elevated. 

 Dermatostethvs (Sepiua, skin: crrijCo?, breast): 

 6. Breast shields covered by soft skin; head not quite in a right line with axis of body; 

 dorsal 41; rings 19 -j- 39; body robust; snout moderate; tail twice as long as trunk; 

 head considerably keeled above. . pinctipinne, 1110. 



III. Breast shields not covered with skin; head about in line with axis of body. 

 Siphostoma: 



c. Dorsal moderate or long, its first ray in advance of vent; snout moderate or long; 

 angles of body generally prominent. 

 d. Dorsal covering 1 or 2 body rings. 

 e. Dorsal covering 9 caudal rings. 



* The genus Siingnalhin' of LinnfBus, originally equivalentto the modern family of 5;/H(/)ia//ii</.T, 

 was first BulKlivided by Kafinesque in 1810. The name Siphostoma was given to S. pelagicnx and 

 its relatives, the S//«.;»i(///)'s of late writers, that of Tiphle to S. tiiplile, the Siphononlnma of late 

 writers, while Syiiyniilliiix was retained for jS. !((p(oreiis and its relatives, the group now usually 

 called Kerophis, the type of Xerophis being Siiiigiinlhus npliuHon, L. This arrangement 1ms been 

 adopted here, but it is open to two objections besides the fact that it is contrary to the general 

 usage, which makes urns the type of Siiiigiiathus, in accordanace with Swainsou's arrangement. 

 These objections are, (1) that Artedi, from whom Linn.iMis accepted the genus >'//(i!;)«i//ii(.s did not 

 know of the existence of Siiugniillius ii-(pioreus, and (2) the statement of Liniiieus (which we have 

 been unable to verifiy), that "the type of each of liis genera is the "best known Kuropean or 

 officinal species." Siiw/millius ac?(s"would meet this rc<|uirenieiit, but not Siingnathits anpioretts, 

 which had not tlien ijeeii found in Europe. Should these objectious bo found valid, SyngnaOius 

 would take the place of Scphustumu, and Xerophis that of :SyiigHn(htis. 



