Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 69 



Lepisosteus, and Litholepis, the first being based on a young individual of L. osseus and 

 the last on inaccurate information communicated personally by J. J. Audubon. The 

 sketch and description (long dorsal and anal, bilobed tail) of the fish in Rafinesque's 

 field notes and the description in "Ichthyologia Ohiensis" clearly indicate a fictitious 

 fish that should not be recognized with a valid name. Rafinesque subdivided the genus 

 Lepisosteus into two subgenera, Cylindrosteus and Atractosteus. 



Fowler recognized two genera, Lepisosteus and Cylindrosteus {22 : 604, 605). Holly 

 divided the genus Lepisosteus into three subgenera: Litholepis^ Lepisosteus^ and Cylindros- 

 teus (65: 49). More recently, Moore {6y: 54) and Eddy (ig: 39-41) have recognized 

 a single genus, Lepisosteus. When Fowler split the Gars into two genera on the basis of 

 presence or absence of enlarged teeth on the palatine {22 : 604), he did not find a second 

 row of enlarged teeth on the palatine surface in the smallest specimens of L. osseus; 

 however, small examples of the same form in the Tulane University collection reveal 

 an inner row of enlarged teeth on the upper jaw. 



Two subgenera, Lepisosteus and Atractosteus, are recognized here. The nomen- 

 clature of fossil Gar material has been confused because of chaotic conditions that 

 have existed for many years with regard to the recent forms. Perhaps additional sub- 

 genera will have to be recognized for some of the fossil forms. 



Genus Lepisosteus Lacepede 1803 



Lepisosteus Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 5, 1803: 331; type species, Lepisosteus gaviatis Lacepede 1803 equals 

 Esox osseus Linnaeus. 



Generic Synonyms: 



Esox Linnaeus (in part), Syst. Nat., loth ed., 1758: 313; type species, Esox osseus Linnaeus 1758. 

 Litholepis Rafinesque, Amer. Mon. Mag., J, 181 8: 447; type species, Litholepis adamantinus Rafinesque 181 8; 



based on a fictitious description personally communicated by J. J. Audubon. 

 Sarchirus Rafinesque, J. Acad. nat. Sci. Philad., I (2), 1818:418; type species, Sarchirus vittatus Rafinesque 1 8 1 8 ; 



young of Lepisosteus osseus. 

 Cylindrosteus Rafinesque, Ichthyol. Ohiensis, 1820: 72; type species, Lepisosteus platostomus Rafinesque 1820. 

 Atractosteus Rafinesque, Ichthyol. Ohiensis, 1820: 75; type species, Lepisosteus ferox Rafinesque 1820. 

 Lepidosteus Koenig, Icon. Foss., 1825: t. 12, emended spelling for Lepisosteus Lacepede 1803; Lepidosteus 



Agassiz, Rech. Poiss. Foss., 2 (2), 1843: l, emended spelling for Lepisosteus Lacepede. 



Doubtful Synonym: 



Psallisostomus Walbaum, P. Artedi Genera Pise, Emend. Ichthyol., 1792, 581; Psallisostomus Fowler (after 



Walbaum), Fish. New Jersey in Rep. N. J. Mus., Pt. 2, 1905 : 89; Suppl. Acct. Fish. N. J., Pt. 3, 1906: 



263, 387, pi. 83 (after Agassiz, Rech. Poiss. Foss., 1843). 



Characters. Teeth numerous, of various sizes on both jaws and on most bones 

 lining roof of oral and pharyngeal cavities; one row of enlarged teeth with radially 

 grooved base on lower jaws, and two rows on upper jaws, at least during younger 

 stages; outer margin of both upper and lower jaws fortified with a closely set row of 

 needle-shaped teeth; a pair of large teeth at anterior end of lower jaws fitting into 

 depressions in upper jaws and, in many individuals, perforating anteriormost pre- 



