342 
FISHES. 
small lateral holes; branchial rays so small, that they are hardly 
perceptible ; destitute of pectoral fins. 
Murcena catenata. — The Chain-Striped Mukhina. 
Plate LXXIX. fig. 11. 
Brown; with interrupted, white, transverse, chain-like bands; 
thickly freckled with brown. Fifteen inches long. Inhabits 
Surinam. 
Genus 5.—S P H A G E B R A NC H US.— Bloch. 
Generic Character. —Head terminating in an acute point; 
branchial openings placed under the throat, and approaching. 
Genus 6.—APTERICHTHUS.— Dumeril. 
Generic Character —Head with orbicular pores; eyes imper¬ 
ceptible ; snout acute and depressed; mouth small; teeth 
subulate, pointed, and recurved ; anterior teeth of the upper jaw 
longer than the others; branchial openings under the neck; 
body very much elongated, nearly cylindrical, and extremely 
slender ; destitute of fins and scales. 
Genus 7. — SYNBRANCHUS.— Bloch. 
Generic Character. — Head large ; snout rounded and obtuse ; 
teeth blunt; branchiae, having a single opening under the throat, 
with six rays; destitute of pectoral fins, and the ventral ones 
almost entirely adipose. 
Genus 8.—ALABES.— Cuvier. 
Generic Character .—Teeth acute; throat with a common 
opening for the branchiae; branchial operculum furnished with 
three rays; pectoral fins with a small concave disc between 
them. 
Genus 9.—GYMNOTUS.— Linnccus. 
Generic Character .—Branchial openings partly shut by a 
membrane, opening in front of the pectoral fins; anal fin nearly 
the whole length of the body; anus placed far forward ; destitute 
of a dorsal fin ; and no visible scales. 
