OPHISURID^. 25 



pressed, and somewhat arched. Pectorals rudimentary. Rays, 3, 

 or wholly wanting. 



Cantor and Bleaker describe Indian species destitute of pectorals, 

 with which I am not acquainted. 



48. SpHAGEBRANCHDS IMBER3IS. 



Sphagebranchus imberbis, Delaroche, An. da Mm. xiij. p. 300, 



t. 25, f. 18. 

 Dalophis bimaculata. Raff. Caratt. tab. 7, f. 2. 

 Sphagebranchus imberbis et oculatus, Risso, 196 [according to 



Bonap.). 



Dorsal fin commencing as far behind the gill-opening as the dis- 

 tance from that opening to the point of the snout measures. Tail 

 a little longer than the body. Five nasal teeth in two rows, the 

 solitary one in front. In old specimens, two irregular rows of teeth 

 on the fore part of the vomer, and one towards its end. Head and 

 body, but not the belly, dotted with black on a green or brownish 

 ground. 



This species reaches a considerable length. The largest speci- 

 men, which was sent from Toulon by Mr. Kiener, measures 25-79 

 in. Another example preserved in the Leyden Museum is 8'27 in. 

 long in the body, the length of the tail being 9 '85 in. 



Sicily, Toulon, &c. 



49. Sphagebranchus rosteatus. 



Sphagebranchus rostratus. Block, Ichth. t. 419, f. 2; Schneider, 



Si/st. I, 539, t. 103, f. 2. 



" S. Labio superiore in i-ostrum elongate, cirrhis 2 rostro ex- 

 tremi insident." 



Surinam Pavers. {Block.} 



50. Sphagebeanchxjs brevirostkis. 

 Sphagebranchus brevirostris, Peters. Arck. 1850, p. 273. 



Teeth uniserial on all the dentiferous bones ; those of the upper 

 jaw very small and serried ; the mandibular ones longer and more 

 recurved ; while the vomerines are nearly as tall but more dis- 

 tant. Nasal teeth 5, the odd one in front ; the snout with its teeth 

 projecting beyond the mandible. The anterior nostril tube is 

 situated behind the nasal bone, and is pendulous ; the posterior one 

 is near the angle of the eye. Gill-rays, 28. 



Colour of a soiled flesh tint, passing into olivaceous. 



Length, total, 1024 in. Of tail, 5 04 in. To the gape, 039 in. 

 To the eye, 0-12 in. To the dorsal, 120 in. This species has 

 comparatively a shorter snout than rostratus. The specimen origi- 

 nally described is in the Museum at Berlin. 



E 



