156 CLASS XIV. 



Sp. Trichiurus lepturus L., Bloch IcMh. Tab. 158, from the S. American 

 coasts ; — Trichiurus savala Cuv. R. Ani., ed. ill., Poiss. PI, 68, Indian 

 Sea, &c, 



Xiphias L. (with addit. of some new species). Body elongate, 

 somewhat romid and tapering, covered with very small scales. 

 Snout narrow, produced, with upper jaw longer, ensiform. Jaws 

 with teeth small, acute, crowded, sometimes scarcely distinct, or 

 only forming a rough surface. Rays of branchiostegous mem- 

 brane seven. Dorsal fin very long. Caudal fin broad, divided 

 deeply into two lobes. Tail with a middle carina or with two 

 cutaneous folds on each side at the base of caudal fin. 



* Middle crest on each side at the base of caudal fin. 



Xiphias L. Ventral fius none. 



Sp. Xiphias yladius L., Bloch Ichth. Tab. 79, Gov. R. Ani., ed. ill., Poiss. 

 PI. 50; the skeleton in Rosenthal Ichthyot. Taf. 11; the sword-fish; 

 Medit. Sea, Atl. Ocean, rarer in the North Sea, sometimes also in the 

 Baltic; this fish attains a length of 12, sometimes even of 18'. In old speci- 

 mens the dorsal fin is divided in the middle, so that there appear to be 

 two dorsal fins. In younger individuals the jaws are less unequal. The 

 long upper snout is formed by the vomer and the intermaxillary bones. 



On the pyloric appendages of this fish see above, p. 1 7. The little gill- 

 plates are here connected in a retiform manner, so that each gill consists 

 of two laminte. See the figures in F. Rosenthal, Ahhandlimgen, 1824, 

 Tab. 6. 



** With two crests on eacli side at the hase of caudal fin. Snout slender. 



Machcera Cuv. [Makcdra Lac). Ventral fins none. 



Comp. CuviEK Nouv. Annales da Mus. i. 1832, pp. 43 — 49, PI. 3, Ma- 

 chcera velifera, from W. Indies. — This sub-genus appears to me doubtful 

 unless it be established that the ventral fins are also wanting in younger 

 specimens; it is certainly more nearly allied to Histiophorus than to 

 Xiphias. 



Histiophorus Lac. {Notistiurn Hekm.). Ventral fins thoracic, 

 long, with two or three rays. Dorsal fin very high. Maxillary 

 teeth crowded, small, unequal. 



Histiophorus aniericanus Cuv. Xiphias velifer Bl., Guehucu Marcgr. 

 Hist. nat. Bras., p. 171 ; — Histiophorus indicus Cuv. Hist, des Poiss. viii. 

 PI. 229; — Histiophorus orientalis ScHLEG. Faun. Japan., Pise. Tab. 55; — 

 Histiophorus immaculatus Rueppell, Transact, of the Zool. Soc. 11. Part i. 

 1836, PI. 16, &c, 



Tetrapterus Rafin. Dorsal fin higher at the commencement, 

 elsewhere low, (Other characters almost those of Jlistiojjhorus.) 



