PLECTOSPONDYLI. 1 1 1 



shaped band. Barbels 4. Maxillary barbels band-like, verj- long. Chiu 

 ■with two short barbels. Nostrils close together, the posterior with a 

 valve; nnchal region with a granulated, bony buckler. Fontanelle 

 large, well forward. Dorsal fin short, in front of the ventrals, with 1 

 sharp spine and 7 rays. Pectorals with a similar spine ; both pectoral 

 and dorsal spines ending in a long, striated, band-like filament. Adipose 

 fin moderate, free behifid. Caudal fin widely forked. Anal moderate 

 or rather long. Ventral rays G. Gill membranes somewhat connected. 

 Tropical waters of America; the si^ecies all marine, [al'/.oupoq, cat; 

 ix(^0<;, fish.) 



112. JE. marinus (Mitchill) B. & G.—Sea Cat-fish; Gaff-top-sail. 



Dusky bluish, silvery below. Head rather short and broad, rounded 

 anteriorly. Eye rather large, low, anterior. Occipital buckler subtrian- 

 gular, tapering behind. Maxillary barbels extending about to the end of 

 the pectoral spine. Pectoral spine longer than the dorsal si)ine, two- 

 thirds the length of the head, its filament reaching the vent. Dorsal 

 filament reaching adipose fin. Upper lobe of caudal much the longer. 

 Anal fin falcate. Band of palatine teeth nearly continuous. Head 4^. 

 D. I, 7 ; A. 23; P. I, 12; B. 6; Vert. 20 + 30. Cape Cod to Mexico; 

 common southward, 



{Silur us mar inns Mitahill, Trans. Lit. & Phil. Soc. N. Y. 1,433; Giiuther, v, 178.) 



Okder L.-PLECT0S1'()NDYLI. 



{The Plectospondylous Fishes.) 



Physostomous fishes with the parietals broad, distinct ; pterotic nor- 

 mal; symplectic present; opercular bones all present; no interclavi- 

 cles, and the four anterior vertebrae much modified and with ossicula 

 auditus. This group consists principally of fresh-water fishes, and in- 

 cludes about six families. Two strongly marked divisions are included 

 in it, the one the suborder Ecentognathi of Professor Gill, and the other 

 the Characins, referred by Professor Gill to the Isospondyli. The Chara- 

 cins resemble the Isospondyli in general appearance and in the structure 

 of the pharyngeals, but differ in the modification of the anterior ver- 

 tebrse. (ttAsz-o?, joined together; c-ovduXoi;, vertebne.) 



ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF PLECTOSPONDYLI. 



* Brain case produced lietwcen orbits ; basis cranii simple ; only two superior pharyn- 

 geal bones; lower ])haryn}reals ialcif'orin, parallel with the gill-arehes ; jaws 

 toothless. (Eveniof/nathi.*) 



* ev, well ; hrbg, within ; yvddog, jaw. 



