189 



StnAPHOBRANCH OS. 



ii. Pectorals absent : vent nearly three-quarters of a bead-length 



behind the gill-openings ... ... ... ... Dtsommopsis. 



3. The distance of the vent from the gill-opening is either equal to or 

 very much more than the distance betvi^eeii the gill-opening and the 

 tip of the snout : the nostrils are distant from one another : — 



i. Gill-openings united in a longitudinal slit : STNAPHOBRAN- 



CHINA 

 ii. Gill-openings separate : — 



a. Nostrils superior or lateral : tongue free : vertical fins eon- 

 fluent round tlie tip of the tail : pectoral fins present : 

 ANGUILLJNA :— 

 a. Scaleless : the cleft of the mouth extends slightly beyond 

 the middle of the eye : — 

 Teeth in a single series in the javs's ; none on the vomer 

 Teeth in bands in the jaws; vomerine teeth 

 Teeth in the javps biserial ; vomerine teeth 

 p. Scaleless : the cleft of the mouth reaches the eye : teeth 

 in the jaws in broad bands, and in a broad confluent 

 patch on the palate ... 

 6. Nostrils superior or lateral : tongue not fi-ee, or if free curi- 

 ously truncated : vertical fins confluent round the tip of the 

 tail : no scales : MUR^NESOCINA :— 

 a. Pectorals present : snout of good length but not bill-like : 

 teeth in the mandible and maxilla practically uiiiserial ; 

 a single row of teeth in the vomer 

 /J. Pectorals present : snout very long almost bill-like : 

 teeth in the jaws in broad bands and very sharp : a 

 single row of teeth in the vomer. Maxilla with a broad 

 longitudinal groove, running the whole length of the 

 bone and dividing the band of teeth into two portions .„ Xenomtstax. 

 y. Pectorals absent : snout very long and bill-like : teeth 

 in the jaws in two or three series, small and sharp : a 

 long row of enlarged teeth on the vomer : wo air-bladder Sadrenchelts. 

 8. Pectorals absent : snout very long and bill-like: small 

 stout conical teeth in very broad bands in the jaws and 

 vomer: air-bladder present : lateral line indistinct ... Nettenchelts. 



CbWCONGEK. 

 CONGRO.MDRiE.'«A. 



Ueoconger. 



Promyllantor. 



SAUROMURi.VESOX. 



Nemichthyina, Giintber. 

 Nemichthys, Richardson. 



Nemichthys, Richardson, Samarang Fishes, p. 25 : GUnther, Cat. Pishes, VIII. p. 21 : Goode and Bean, Oceanic 

 Ichthyology, p. 151 : Jordan and Evcrmann, Fishes of N. Amer., p. 369. 

 Leptorhynchus, Lowe, Ann. M:ig. Nat. Hist. X. 1852, p. 54. 

 Belonopsis, Brandt. Mera. Ao. Petersb. Sav. Strang. VII. 1854, p, 171. 

 Investigator, Goode and Beau, Oceanic Ichthyology, p. 518, 



Body exceeding elongate, tail lash-like. No scales. Lateral line distinct. 

 Vent near the gill-opening and pectorals, at the anterior end of the lono- 

 abdominal cavity. 



