21. Ul'IUCHTHYS. 55 



Extremity of the tail free. Teeth on the vomer as well as in the jaws. 

 We arrange the species of this genus thus : — 



I. Teeth pointed ; pectoral fin developed in adult examples (see O. cro- 

 codilitnis)*. 



A. Maxillary teeth in a double series. 



1. Mandibulary teeth in a double series. 



a. Canine teeth very distinct, p. 50. 



b. The teeth of each series are equal or subequal in size. 



a. Cleft of the mouth wide, more than one-third of the length 

 of the head, p. 58. 



0. Cleft of the mouth of moderate width, less than one-third of 

 the length of the head, p. 59. 

 2. Mandibulary teeth uniserial. 



a. Lips fringed (Brac/ii/somojjhis), p. 04. 



b. Lips not fringed. 



a. Snout much produced ; large canine teeth {Leptognatkus), p. 65. 

 /3. Snout moderately produced ; no large canine teeth (Iferpeto- 

 ichthys), p. 06. 



B. Maxillary teeth uniserial. 



L Dorsal fin commencing behind the root of the pectoral, p. 69. 



2. Dorsal fin commencing above or nearly above the gill-opening, 



p. to, 



3. Dorsal fin commencing in advance of the gill-opening, p. 74. 



C. Maxillary teeth equally small, forming bands j lips fringed {Cirrhi- 



murcena), p. 75. 



D. Maxillary teeth tri- or quadriserial ; lips not fringed, p. 76. 



II. Teeth gr.anular (Pisudo>itup7ii.i). 



A. Pectoral developed ; dorsal commencing behind the base of pec- 



toral, p. 77. 



B. Pectoral developed; dorsal commencing in advance of the 'rill- 



opening, p. 80. 



C. Pectoral rudimentary ; dorsal commencing in advance of the o-ill- 



opeuing, p. 81. 



III. Teeth equally small, conical ; pectoral absent (rarely rudimentarv) ; 

 gill-openings close together (Sphu(jebranchm\). 



A. The dorsal commences at some distance behind the gill-openino-, 



p. 84. 



B. The dorsal commences above or nearly above the gill-openin", 



p. 80. 



* L Ojihichtliys bracliyurus, Poey, liepert. Fis.-naf. Cnha, ii. p. 426.— Cuba. 



2. risoodonopbis niagniflca, Abbott, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1860, p. 470.' 



— Sandwich Islands. 



3. Ophiurus ciiliforniensis, Garrett, Proc. Calif. Ac. Nat. Sc. in. p. GO. 



Allied to 0. grandimaculatas. 

 t I. Sphagebranchus rostratus, Bl. ix. p. 88, tab. 4(9. fig. 2 ; Bl. Schn. p. 535, 

 tab. lo;?. fig. 2 ; Kaup, Ahhandl. nirwiss. Vcnin. Hamburg, iv. 2, 1800,' 

 p. 15. — Surinam. 

 2. Splingcbmnclms (?) ccphalopoltis, Bhck. Verh. Holt. Maatsch. Haarlem. 

 1862, Guintc, p. 128.— Coast of Guinea. 



