284 



MUR.ENID.E, 



APODAL 

 MALACOPTEliYGU. 



MUHMKIDJE, 



SHARP-NOSED EEL. 



AngitiUa acutirostris, Sharp-nosed Eel, Yariiei.l, Proceed. Zool. Soc. 1831, 



pp. 133 and 159. Zool. Journ. vol. 

 iv. p. 469. 

 ,, omnmm uutorum, Wii.lughby, p. 109, G. 5, 



,, aaitirostris, Sharp-nosed Eel, Jenyns, Man. Brit. Vert. p. 474, 



sp. 163. 



Murana anguilla, UAnguille, Linn«us. Block, pt. iii. pi. 73. 



,, ,, Common Eel, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 191. 



Anguilla vulgaris, ,, ,, Flem. Brit. An. p. 199, sp. 109. 



„ ,, Long-bee, Cuvier, Regne An. t. ii. p. 349. 



,, ,, Common Eel, Bowdich, Brit. Fr. Wat. Fish. No. 7. 



Generic Characters. — Body cylindrical, elongated, covered with a thick 

 and smooth skin ; the scales very small ; lubricated with copious mucous secre- 

 tion ; mouth with a row of teeth in each jaw, and a few on the anterior part of 

 the vomer ; pectoral fins close to a small branchial aperture ; no ventral fins ; 

 dorsal fin, anal fin, and caudal fin united. 



Bahon Cuvier, in this family of the Muranida, or Eel- 

 shaped Fishes, which includes several genera forming his 

 fourth order, has brought together those fishes with soft 

 fins which have an elongated form of body : they are also 

 destitute of ventral fins, and are in consequence called A2)o- 

 dal. The genus Anguilla, including our common Eels, is 

 the first of this order. 



