358 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY — IV. 



169.— C4ECU1.A VaM. 



{Spliagehranchus Blocli & Schneider.) 



(Vahl, Skrivt.. Naturli. Selsk. iii, 1794, 149: typeCaiGulapt€rijge7-aYaM:='iDalophis 

 polyophthalmns Bleeker.) 



Body extremely slender. Teetli equal, small, conical, on jaws and 

 vomer. Nostrils labial. Tongue not free at tip. Pectoral fins wanting 

 or rudimentary j dorsal fin present. Extremity of tail free. Gill- 

 openings small, separated by a narrow isthmus. Eyes small. (Latin, 

 ccecus, blind.) 



5S1. C. scMticaris (Goode & Beau) J. & G. 



Brownish, paler below. Teeth small, conical, in two series on jaws 

 and vomer. Gill-openings close together. Dorsal fin beginning far in 

 advance of the gill-opening, a little nearer the tip of the snout than the 

 gill-opening, at a distance from the former equal to three times the 

 length of the snout. Head 8J in distance from gill-opening to vent, 

 and 8 in tail. Snout pointed, C in head. Pectorals extremely small, 

 their length less than 3^0 the total length. {Goode & Bean.) 



(Sphagehranchus scutlcaris Goode & Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1879, 344.) 



170.— OPSIICSITMITS AU. 

 ( OpMsurus Lac^pede. ) 

 (Abl, Specim. Ichtli. 1789, 9.) 



Body elongate, naked. Teeth all pointed ; vomerine teeth present. 

 Nostrils labial. Tongue not free at tip. Dorsal and anal fins present; 

 pectoral fins developed. End of tail not surrounded by the fin. Spe- 

 cies very numerous, found in all warm seas, (o^^t?, snake; tx^uq^ fish.) 



* Canine teeth' very distinct. {Miistriopliis* Y^an^.) 

 t Teeth in each jaw in a double series. 



582. O. psiaictafer (Kaup) Giinther. 



Snout narrowed, short, spoon-shaped, twice as long as the eye. Cleft 

 of the mouth very wide. Teeth pointed, fixed, unequal in size, those 

 of the premaxillary in a single arched series, the foremost being the 

 longest of all the teeth; outer series of teeth in jaws with canines; 

 vomerine teeth triseriai, rather small. Lips not fringed. Gill-openings 

 wide. Origin of the dorsal fin at some distance behind the pectoral, 

 which is well developed. Tail somewhat longer than the body. 



* Kaup, Apodes, 1856, 10: type OpMsurus rostellatus Rich, (/uvdrpov, spoon; oipt?, 

 snake; from the form of the snout.) 



