COMEPHORID^. 299 



Fam. 26. COMEPHORID.E. 



Gobioidei, part., Cuv. 



Body elongate, naked ; eye lateral. Teeth small. Two dorsal 

 fins, the anterior of which is much less developed than the second, 

 which equals the anal fin. Ventrals none. No prominent papilla 

 near the vent. Gill-opening wide ; six branchiostegals, four gills ; 

 air-bladder and pyloric appendages none. Skeleton very soft ; oper- 

 cular pieces not distinct; number of the vertebrae in the single 

 species kno^Ti at present 8/35. 



Lake Baikal. 



The only genus known approaches, in several characters, the family 

 of ScomhridcE, and among these especially the group of Scomhrina ; 

 but the habit of this fish, the locaUty in which it is found, and, above 

 all, the structure of the skeleton appear to indicate it as the type of 

 a separate family. 



1. COMEPHORUS. 



Comephorus, Lacep. ii. p. 312 ; Cuv. 8f Val. xii. p. 327. 



Body elongate, naked ; head large, with the snout produced, broad 

 and depressed, and with the cleft of the mouth very wide. Eye of 

 moderate size. Teeth minute, in the jaws, on the vomer and the 

 palatine bones. Kays of the second dorsal fin and of the anal simple, 

 and not articulated. Pectorals very long ; caudal emarginate. 



Lake Baikal. 



1. Comephorus baikalensis. 



Callionymus baikalensis, Pall. Reise, iii. p. 2^0, and App. p. 707 ; Nov. 



Act. Petropol. i. p. 349. pi. 9. fig. 1. 

 Comephoinis baikalensis, Lacep. ii. p. 313 , Cuv. 8f Val. xii. p. 829. 



pi. 361 ; Cuv. Regne Anim. III. Poiss. pi. 82. fig. 2. 



D. 8 ] 28. A. 34. Vert. 8/35. 

 Pectoral longer than the head. Uniform greenish. 

 Lake Baikal. 



