11. FIEHASFER. 381 



Third Group. FIERASFERINA. 



No ventral fins whatever ; vent at the throat. 



11. FIERASFER*. 



Fierasfer, Cuv. Rhpie Anim. 

 Echiodon, l^homjis. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1837, p. 55. 

 Diaphasia, Loive, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1843, p. 92. 

 Oxj-beles, Richurch. Voy. Ereb. S)- Terr. Fish. p. 74. 



Body produced into a very long and tapering tail, naked. Eye of 

 moderate size. Vertical fins continuous, very low ; no ventrals, no 

 barbels. Cai'diform teeth in the jaws, on the vomer and the palatine 

 hones, sometimes with the addition of canines; the teeth on the 

 vomer form an oblong patch, and are generally stouter than the 

 others. Lower jaw received within the upper. Vent situated at 

 the throat. Seven branchiostegals ; gill-openings wide, the giU- 

 membranes united below, and not attached to the isthmus ; gills 

 four, a slit behind the foiu'th ; pseudobranchiae none ; air-bladder 

 present. No pyloric appendages. 



Temperate seas of Enrope. East Indian Archipelago. Coasts of 

 Australia and New Zealand. 



1. Fierasfer acus. 



Fierasfer. 



Gymnotus acus, Briinn. Ichth. Mass. p. 13; L. Gm. i. p. 1140; Bl. 



Schti. p. 522. 

 Notopterus fontanesii, Risso, Ichth. Nice, p. 82. pi. 4. fig. 11. 

 Fierasfer imberbis, Cm: Rhqne Anim., and Mem. 3hm. i. p. 320 ; Miill. 



Ahhandl. Berl. Acad. ISiS, p. 153. taf. 4. fig. 6 (air-bladder). 

 Ophidiuni fierasfer, Risso, Bur. Merid. iii. p. 212. 

 Fiera-sfer fontanesii, Costa, Fatai. Nap. tab. 20 bis. 

 acus, Katip, Apod. Fish. p. 157. 



The length of the head is one-eighth of the total length. The 

 greatest width of the head is rather less than one-third of its length. 

 GUI-openings rather wide, the united gill-membranes lea\'ing the 

 greater portion of the isthmus uncovered. Teeth cardifonn ; only a 

 few on the side of the lower jaw and on the middle of the vomer are 

 a little larger than the rest. Dorsal fin low, but very distinct. 

 Head and body with brownish dots, which are sometimes arranged 

 in cross series. 



Mediterranean and the neighbouring parts of the Atlantic. 



a. Adult. South Europe. Presented by R. B. Webb, Esq. 



b. Half-grown. 



2. Fierasfer aflanis. 



Similar to F. acxs, but with a dift'crcnt dentition. 

 The length of the head is one-eighth of the total ; its greatest 

 width is rather less than one-thii'd of its length. Gill-openings 



* 1. Fierasfer boraborensia, Kaup, Apod. Fish. p. IGC— Borabora. 



