468 opniocEPnALiD.E. 



Fam. 39. OPHIOCEPHALID^. 



LabjTinthici, part., Cm: Rk/ne Anim. ; J/m//. Berl. Ahhandl. 1844, 



p." 201. . .. ' 



Labyrintliibranchii, part., OweUj Led. Comp. Anat. i. p. 49. 

 Opliioceplialoidei, Blcek. Enum. Spec. p. xxiv. 



Body elongate, anteriorly suhcylindrical, covered with scales of 

 morlcrate size ; head depressed, covered with shield-Hl^e scales su- 

 periorly ; lateral line mth an abiiipt cm-ve, or subinteiTnpted. Cleft 

 of the month lateral, wide ; teeth in the jaws and on the palate. 

 Eye lateral. GiU-opening wide, the gill-membranes of both sides 

 joined below the isthmns ; four gills ; pseudobranehise none. A 

 cavity accessory to the gill-cavity, for the purpose of retaining water 

 in it, a superbranchial organ not being developed. An air-bladder. 

 One long dorsal and anal fin, without spines ; ventral fins absent or 

 thoracic, and composed of six rays, the outer of which is not branched. 

 Vertebrae in considerable number (52-61) ; the caudal vertebrae are 

 pro\'ided with ribs, the abdominal cavity being continued to below 

 the caudal portion. 



Freshwater fishes of the East Indies : able to live and move without 

 the water for a short time. Feechng on small animals. 



Everj^ ichthyologist will acknowledge the necessity of separating 

 these fishes from the Lahyrinthici, their entire external and internal 

 structure being -widely different. The only character by which their 

 position in this Order appears to be justified is the insertion and the 

 structure of the ventral fins ; they are composed of six rays, the 

 outer of which is not even a true spine, but articulated towards its 

 extremity. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



Ventral fins present 1. OrniocEniALUS, p. 468. 



Ventral fins none 2. Ch anna, p. 483. 



1. OPHIOCEPHALUS*. 



Opliiceplialus, Block, Ausl. Fische, viii. p. 137. 



Ventral fins present. Pyloric appendages two. Fine teetli in the 

 jaws, on the vomer and the palatine bones, sometimes intermixed 

 with larger ones. 



Fresh waters of the East Indies. 



* 1. Sowara, Eit&s. pi. 163. — Opliiceplialus sowara, Cuv. ^ Val. vii. p. 426. — 

 Vizagapatam. 

 2. Bostriclioidcs oMllatus, Lacep. iii. pp. 144, 145, ii. p'. 14. fig. 3. — Oplii- 

 ceplialus ocellatus, Cin'. ^- Val. vii. p. 434. — China. 3. 



