390 LUCIOCEPHALIDJE. 



Fam. 36. LUCIOCEPHALIDtE. 



Luciocephaloidei, Bleeh. Enumer. Spec. p. xxx, and Natwirh. Tydschr. 

 Nederl. Iml. xx. 1860, p. 395. 



Body elongate, covered with scales of moderate size. Lateral line 

 present. Teeth small. GiU-opening wide; pseudobranchise none; 

 a superhranchial organ, enclosed in a cavity behind the eye, and formed 

 hy tivo branrhial arches, which are dilated into a membrane. 



One short dorsal fin ; dorsal and anal spines none ; ventrals thoracic, 

 composed of one spine and five rays. Air-bladder none. Intestines 

 very short. 



Fresh waters of the East Indies. 



1. LUCIOCEPHALUS. 



Luciocephalus, Bleek. Borneo, ii. p. 273. 



Body elongate, snbcyHndrical anteriorly and compressed poste- 

 riorly ; intermaxiUaries much protractile. Teeth in the jaws small, 

 fixed ; the descending and ascending branches of the intermaxillary 

 toothed ; teeth on the vomer minute. One short dorsal without 

 spines, opposite to the soft anal ; the anal is separated into two 

 portions by a deep notch. Ventral fins thoracic, with one spine and 

 five rays. Caudal rounded. Scales ctenoid ; lateral line present. 

 Pseudobranchife none ; gill-opening wide, cleft to below the eye ; 

 air-bladder none. Intestines very short ; pyloric appendages none. 



Fresh waters of the East Indian Archipelago. 



1. Luciocephalus pulcher. 



Diplopterus pulcher. Gray, III. Ind. Zool. i. tab. . fig. 1. 

 Luciocephalus pulcher, Bleek. Borneo, ii. p. 274, and Blitong, p. 99. 



B. 5. D. •^. A. ^1 13-12. L. lat. 36. 



A broad black, inferiorly white-edged band runs from the snout 

 through the eye to the caudal fin. Caudal black, with the rays red. 

 Large individuals with round blackish spots on the body and on the 

 fiLns. 



Elvers of Banka, Biliton, and Borneo. 



For the knowledge of the internal stnicture of this very singular 

 fish we are indebted to Dr. v. Bleeker, who also discovered the super- 

 branchial organ. 



