484 TRICHONOTIDJE. 



Fam. 40. TRICHONOTID^. 



Gobioidei, part., Cuvier. 



Body elongate, siibcylindrical, covered with cycloid scales of mo- 

 derate size. Eyes directed upwards. Teeth in ^^lliform bands. 

 The infraorbital ring docs not articulate with the praeoperculum. 

 One long dorsal fin, with articulated, not branched I'ays, and without 

 a distinct spinous portion ; anal long ; ventrals jugular, with one 

 spine and five rays. Gill-opening very wide, seven branchiostegals ; 

 pseudobranchiaj. No prominent papilla near the anus. Air-bladder 

 and pyloric appendages absent. Caudal vertebi-ae much more nu- 

 merous than those of the abdominal portion. 



Carnivorous fishes, living near the shores of the East Indian 

 Archipelago and of New Zealand. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



Palatine teeth 1. Trichonotus. 



Palatine teeth none 2. Hemerocoetbs. 



The afiSnitics of these fishes are very obscure, and one may well 

 doubt whether they are Acantho- or Malacopterygians, the two or 

 three imarticulated dorsal rays of Trichonotus scarcely entitling them 

 to a place among the Aeanthopterygians. The structure of the ven- 

 tral fin (1/5) induces me to leave them in this Order ; but, then, it 

 appears to be the better course to consider them as a separate family. 



1. TRICHONOTUS. 



Trichonotus, Bl. Schn. p. 179 ; Ckir. Sf Val. xii. p. 315. 



Head depressed, pointed, trunk subcylindi-ical, tail compressed ; 

 cleft of the mouth wide, nearly horizontal, with the lower jaw longest ; 

 eyes of moderate size, directed upwards. Scales of moderate size, 

 cycloid ; lateral line continuous. One dorsal ; ventrals jugular, with 

 one spine and five rays. Gill-opening very wide, with the gill-mem- 

 branes scarcely united below the throat ; seven branchiostegals. 

 Yilliform teeth in the jaws, on the vomer and the palatine bones. 

 Air-bladder and pyloric appendages none. 



Coasts of Celebes and Coram. 



1. Trichonotus setigerus. 



Trichonotus setigerus, lil. Schn. p. 179. taf. 39 ; Cuv. fy Val. xii. 



p. 316; Bleek. Celeb, v. p. 251. 

 polyophthalmus, Bleek. Ceram. iii. p. 24.3 (fem.). 



B. 7. D. 47-48. A. 37-38. L. lat. 57. 



Vomerine teeth in an angular band. The space between the eyes 



