'■ij- I.UIVKINTIIK I. 



Fam. 35. LABYRINTHICI. 



Labvriiithici, part., Cur. lih/tic Anim. ; Midi. IJcrL AhiKuidl. 1844, 



p." 201. 

 Labyrintliilirauchii, part.. ()irci>, Lcct. Cotiip. Aiiaf. i. p. 40. 

 OspiironK'noidui, Block. Union. Spec. p. xviii. 



Boihj coi»i)resi>e(l , ohlnng or elevated, covered ^vith scales of mode- 

 rate size ; liead more or less eomprcssed, covered with scales, which 

 arc not difForent from those of i\\v body. Lateral line absent or more or 

 less distinctly interrupted. Teeth small. G'ill-openinf/ rather narrow, 

 the gill -membranes of both sides joined below the isthmus and scaly ; 

 four gills ; pseudobranchinc none, or rudimentary. A svperhranchial 

 organ, composed of thin laniina', situated in a cavity above the gills, 

 and based upon the third or iipi)er portion of the first bianchial arch. 

 Number of the dorsal and anal spines variable ; ventrals thoracic. 



Fresh waters of the East Indies and of South Africa. 



The fishes of this family are capable of living for some time out of 

 the water, or buried in exsiccated mud ; they appear to retain or 

 to collect a small quantity of water in the cavity in which the super- 

 branchial organ is situated. They live on small animals us well as 

 on vegetable substances ; and several of the species are capable of 

 being domesticated, and then of being acclimatized in other countries. 

 The species which have: been domesticated arc subject to great varia- 

 tions, and I strongly suspect that Macropns is merely such a domestic 

 variety. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 

 * Teeth on tlie palate. 



Vomerine and palatine tcetli ; operclcs not ser- 

 rated 1. SprRonRANCiius, p. .37'5. 



Vomerine and palatine teeth ; opereles serrated. 2. CTENoro.MA, p. 373. 



Vomerine teeth ; palatine teeth none 3. Anakas, p. 374. 



** Moveable teeth on the lips. 



Mouth very small, transverse 4. Helostoma, p. 377. 



*** Teeth fixed in the jaws ; none on the pahite. 



Ventrals well developed ; thirteen to twenty 



dorsal or anal spines ; caudal rounded .''). 1'oi,yacantiiu.s, p. 378. 



Caudal forked 0. Mackopus, p. 381. 



First ventral ray filiform, with three or four 

 small ones in its axil ; two to thirteen dorsal, 

 seven to fourteen anal spines 7. Osphrome.nus, p. 382. 



Only one filiform ventral ray 8. TKicnoOASTEK, p. 387. 



Ventral fins well developed ; dorsal fin short, 

 witli a few spines or without any pungent 

 sinnc .'. '.'. liETTA, p. 388. 



