GONOUIIYNCHIU.E. 373 



Fam. 18. GONORHYNCHlDiE. 



Head and body entirely covered with spiny scales ; 

 mouth with barbels. Margin of the upper jaw formed 

 by the intermaxillary, which, although short, is con- 

 tinued downwards as a thick lip, situated in front of 

 the maxillary. Adipose fin none; the dorsal tin is 

 opposite to the ventrals, and short, like the anal. 

 Stomach simple, Avithout blind sac; pyloric appen- 

 dages in small number. Pseudobranchise ; air-bladder 

 absent. Gill-openings narrow. 



Southern temperate parts of the Atlantic and Pacific ; Japan. 

 Only one genus is known. 



1. GONORHYNCHUS. 



Gonorliynchus, Gronov. Zoophyl. no. 199 ; Cuv. %■ Val. xix. p. 202 ; 



Kner, No vara, Fisch. p. 342. 

 riliyoebana, Richards. Voij. Ereb. 8^ Terr, Fish. p. 44. 



Body elongate, subcyliudrical ; head pointed ; snout conically 

 projecting beyond the mouth (which is inferior, subsemicircular). A 

 single barbel behind the end of the snout ; lips thick, fringed. Eye 

 large, covered by the transparent skin. Teeth none in the jaws 

 or on the palate ; two patches of obtuse teeth behind the palate, 

 on the pterygoid bones, opposed to a single larger patch on the 

 hyoid. A lobe of the mucous membrane is suspended from the roof 

 of the mouth, in front of the teeth. Dorsal fin opposite to the ven- 

 trals, these fins being approximate to the vent ; caudal fin sub- 

 truncate. Gill-membranes grown to the isthmus. A fringed gill-like 

 organ behind the fourth branchial arch, one half being attached to 

 this arch, the other half to the humeral arch. Branchiostogals 

 four. 



Cape of Good Hope ; Australian and Japanese seas. 



1. Gonorhynchus greyi. 



Gonorhyncbus, Groiwv. Zuophijl uo. 109, tab. 10. fig. 2 (bad). 

 Cj-primi-s gonorynchus, Gm. L. i. p. 1-J22 ; Bl. Schn. p. 443, tab. 78. 



"fig. 1 (copied fi-om Gronov.) ; Lacfip. v. p. 570. 

 Rh^Ticliana greyi, Richards. I. c. pi. 29. figs. 1-0. 

 Gonorhvuchus abbreviatus, Schleg. Faun. Japon. Roiss. p. 217, pi. 103, 

 fig. o. 



gronovii, ScMet/. I. c. ; Cuv. S,- Vul xix. p. 207, pi. 568, 



greyi, Cuv. iSj- VaL xLx. p. 212. 



