DISCUSSION OF SPECIKS AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 151 



Family NEMICHTHYID.^E. 



Nemiclithyina, Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. 5Ius., viii, 1870, 21. 



NemichthykUn, Gill, Arrangement, Families of Fishe.s, 1872, 20 (No. 203), name only. — Jordan- and Git.beut, 

 Bull. x\% U. S. Nat. Mus., 365.— ,Tokd.\n and Davis, Eeji. U. S. F. C, 18S8 (18!)!), 652. 



Body very slender, somewhat compressed, tapering into a long and very slender tail, 

 ■and a very long and slender necli. No scales. Lateral line consisting of pores in three 

 series, the npper and lower alternating in position with the median row, or of a single series 

 of widely set pores. Head resembling that of Belone, the head proper small, short, and 

 rather broad, with flat top and vertical sides, ifostrils large, t^lose together in front of the 

 eye, without tube or flap. Jaws prolonged, beak-like. Teeth in both jaws small, very num- 

 erous, close-set, retrorse. Gill openings rather large, running downward and forward, sep- 

 arated by a narrow isthmus. Pectorals well developed. Anal tin beginning near the vent, 

 higher than the dorsal, becoming obsolete on the caudal filament. Dorsal beginning close 

 behind occiput, or not far from end of pectorals. The soft rays of the tins are connected by 

 thin membrane, instead of being imbedded in thick skin, as in the eels. Stomach not dis- 

 tensible. Muscular and osseous systems well develoj)ed. Abdominal cavity extends far 

 behind the vent. 



ARTIFICIAL KEY TO THE GENERA OF NEMICHTHYID^. 



I. Pectorals present. Gill openings separate and distinct. .Taws exceedingly attenuate; the upper the 



longer, and hent upward Nemicktlniinw 



A. Gill-slits lateral, vertical. Vent close to the head. Dorsal rays slender and nearly free. 



1. Lateral line with three rows of pores. The tail ending iu a long filament. Color dusky, with 



silvery reflections above Nemichthys 



2. Lateral line with single row of pores. Tail proI)ably tilameutoiis (Imt truncate, and jierhaps 



mutilated, in all existing specimens). Color black Labichtiiys 



B. Gill slits separate, inferior. Vent remote from head and far behind pectori.ls. 



1. Dorsal origin behind pectorals and above vent. .Laws moderate Cvkma 



II. Pectorals present. Gill openings jiartly confluent. Vomerine teeth large f^jriiiivonieriiiw 



A. Jaws very long, attenuate. Vomerine teeth conical Spinivomer 



B. Jaws moderate (snout not longer than rest of he.ad). Vomerine teeth lancet-shaped, close-set 



Sekrivomer 



III. Pectorals absent. Gill openings separate, l)nt reaching nearly to middle line of abdomen. Snout spat- 



nlate. Tail long and filiform GarialicipiliiKr 



A. Vent somewhat remote from throat. 



1. Teeth small, sharp, in double row in each jaw ; teeth in vomer larger Gavialiceps 



NEMICHTHYS, Richardson. 



Nemichthys, Richarpsox, Voyage of the Samarang, Fishes, 1848, 10 (type. X sco?oj>acf«s).— GCnther, Cat. 



Fish. Brit. Mus., vin, p. 21.— Jordax and Davis, Rep. U. S. F. C., 1888 (1891) 656. 

 Leptorhynchiis, LowE, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., x, 1852, 54. 

 Belonopsis, Brandt, Mem. Ac. St. Petersb. Sav. Etrang., vii, 1854, 174. 



Body very elongate, with slender, whip-like tail, which tapers to a point. Vent under 

 pectorals. Jaws greatly elongate, forming a long, slender bill, the upper formed l)y the 



^x 



/// 



-^<N^^\\\\\^'-W<x:<i'<^'<Si5J^^ 



Lateral llue iu Nemichthys. 



vomer and intermaxillaries. Inner surface of the.jaws covered with small, closely set teeth. 

 Eye large; nostrils close together in the hollow in front of the eye, without tube or flap. 

 Gil] openings wide, running downward and forward, nearly confluent. Pectoral and ven- 

 tral fins well developed. Lateral line with three series of pores. 



