40 Tiecords of the Indian Museum. [Vol. XIV, 



The Chaudhuriidae differ from all other living eels as yet known in 

 the strong development of the true tail. In this respect they resemble 

 the Cretaceous genus JJrenchelys,^ Woodward, which has been made the 

 tvpe of a distinct family by Regan,- but the structure of the skull is very 

 different. So far as skull-structure is concerned they seem to be re- 

 lated rather to Heterenchelys, Regan {op. cit., j\ 383), which he also 

 regards as the type of a family, but the structure of the vertebral column 

 is different. 



Only a single genus and species is at present known. 



Chaudhuria, gen. nov. 



The body is covered with very small scales embedded in the skin ; it 

 is somewhat compressed, especially in the caudal region, which is approxi- 

 mately equal to the head and body in length. The caudal fin is united 

 to the dorsal and anal by a low membrane ; its rays are completely 

 segregated. The dorsal and anal are well -developed but confined to the 

 caudal region. The pectorals are small and lie immediately behind the 

 gill-openings. The snout is not produced ; the anterior tubular nostrils 

 are situated near its tip ; the posterior nostrils are rather large and lie 

 immediately in front of the eyes. The mouth is small and horizontal. 

 The lips are tumid, but the lower hp only so at the sides. The eyes are 

 well-developed. The gill-openings are wide and in the main of lateral 

 position. The teeth are small, sharply pointed and shghtly recurved ; 

 they are absent from the vomer and ethmoid ; on the jaws they are 

 arranged in a narrow band. The frontals form a somewhat asymme- 

 trical suture on the roof of the skull. The vomer forms a sharp 

 ridge on the roof of the mouth. The jaws closely resemble those of 

 Heterenchely.<:, Regan. The suspensorium is vertical. The pharyngeal 

 bones seem to be poorly developed ; I have not been able to make out 

 their structure. The otoliths are enclosed at the base of the skull on 

 each side in a thin- walled capsule composed of two bones ; there are two 

 otohths in each capsule, both flattened and cake-like but one much 

 larger than the other. There are comparatively few vertebrae. The 

 neural arch is produced into an ujaright flattened plate or spine in 

 front of the true neural spine. ^ The ribs are well-developed, and 

 there are strong interspinous bones. The size of the only known species 

 is very small. 



Development is probably direct, for the ova are large and well 

 supplied with yolk. 



Type-species. — Chaudhuria cnudata, sp. nov. 



I have much pleasure is associating with this remarkable new genus 

 the name of my friend and colleague Dr. B. L. Chaudhuri, to whom I 

 have been indebted for considerable assistance in the preparation 

 of this paper. 



1 Cat. Foss. Fishes B. M. iv, p. 337, pi. xviii, figs. 1—3 (1901). 



2 Ann. Mao. Nat. Hist. (8) x, pp. 379, 380 (1912). 



' Mr. R. H. Whitehousc has kindly given nie a detailed account of the structure of 

 the tail, which will b:^ published immediately after this paper. 



