PISCES. 77 



In others the body is of a more uniform thickness and much elongated ; 

 they are named needle-fishes, and form the sub-genus : 



Syngnathus Cuv. 



* With pectoral and caudal fins none. 



Sp, Syngnathus Ophidion L., Yakrell Brit. Fishes, Suppl. ii. p. 47, Eck- 

 STROEM, 1. 1. Tab. VI. figs. 3, 4 ; greenish 6" — 9" long. A low dorsal fin is 

 the only fin which this animal possesses ; in the early stage of development, 

 however, pectoral fins are present. The male carries the eggs under the 

 flat abdomen in small cavities or cells placed longitudinally in three rows, 

 and not covered by any valves or longitudinal appendages of skin. 



** With pectoral and caudal fins. 



Sp. SyngnatJms Aciis L., Cuv. R. Ani., ed. ill., Poiss. PI. rir, fig. r, Yar- 

 KELL Brit. Fishes, 11. p. 325, Eckstroem 1. 1. fig. r, 2, &c. These little 

 animals feed principally on small crustaceans {Palcemon, &c.) 



Compare on this genus, and especially in what relates to the details of 

 anatomy and development, Retzius in Oken's Isis, 1835, s. 396 — 404, 

 Taf. XI. (from the Trans, of the Acad, of StocMolm for 1833); H. Rathke 

 Reise-Bemerhungen aus Tauricn. Riga u. Leipzig, 1837, 4to, s. 152 — 178 ; 

 Fries in Wiegmann's 4?-cA/y /. Naturgesch, iS^i, a. 236 — 256, V. Sie- 

 BOLD in Erichson's Archiv, 1842, s. 292—300. 



Oeder VIII, Pectognathi (s. PlectognatM Cuv.). 



Branchise pectinate, with lamellse narrow, numerous. Upper 

 jaw-bones united to the sides of intermaxillary bones by immove- 

 able connexion. Palatine arch immoveable. Body covered either 

 with multangular scutes or with spines and rough scales. Swim- 

 ming-bladder in most large, always destitute of duct. Opercula; 

 rays of branchiostegous membrane covered with a dense mem- 

 brane. 



Pectognathi (from irriKTo^, coalescent, fast, connected, and yv(iQo<i the 

 jaw), bony fishes vrith jaws coalescent. With the exception of 

 the sub-genus Triacanthus Cuv. (Balistes hiaculeatus) all are desti- 

 tute of veotral fins. Most of the species occur in the seas of hot 

 countries, principally in the Indian Sea and South Pacific. 



The characters of this order were first propounded by CuviEK in his Mem. 

 surla Composition de la Machoire superieiire des Poissons ; Mem. du Mus. 11. 

 1815, p. 102, et suiv. See Camille Dareste, Rech. sur la Classification 

 des Poissons de Vordre des Plectognathes. Ann. des sc. natur. 36 S^rie, xiv. 

 Zool. 1850, pp. 105—133. 



