Order SOLENICHTHYES Regan. 



Airbladder ductless. Body strongly elongate or short, more 

 or less cylindrical, compressed or angular. Head produced in 

 a larger or shorter tube-like snout, with a terminal, oblique, 

 narrow mouth bordered by the small intermaxillaries only or 

 also by the maxillaries. Body covered with scales, minute 

 spinelets or naked; bony dermal plates are developed in various 

 degree. Lateral line well developed, reduced to canals on head 

 or absent. Teeth small, present or absent. A spinous and a 

 soft dorsal, the first or the second or, by exception, both may 

 be wanting. Anal present or absent. Ventrals abdominal, very 

 large, rudimentary or absent, with 5 — 7 rays. Pectorals present 

 or absent. Finrays of pectorals, second dorsal and anal distally 

 not branched. Caudal may be absent, in which case the tail 

 is prehensile. Gillopenings wide, or reduced to small dorsal 

 apertures. Four gills, pectinate or lobate [Lopliobranchii). Anterior 

 3 — 6 vertebrae immovably united. Ribs absent, as also parietals 

 and opisthotics. Lower pharyngeals separate. 



Marine fishes of large or small size of tropical and tempe- 

 rate seas, mostly living in shore-water, some entering fresh water. 



Key to the indo-australian families of 

 Solenichthyes. 



1. Mouth toothed. Body covered with scales or minute 

 spinelets or naked. Lateral line continuous. Two 

 dorsal fins or a soft dorsal only. Ventrals abdo- 

 minal with 6 soft rays. Four to five branchiostegals. 



Gillopenings wide. Gills pectinate Aulostotnalidae p. 8. 



II. Mouth toothless. No lateral line. 



I. Head and body covered with small rough scales. 



A dorsal and ventral cuirass of bony plates. 



Lateral line canals on head only. Two dorsal 



fins. Ventrals abdominal, small, composed of 



five soft rays. Four branchiostegals. Gillopenings 



wide. Gills pectinate Macrorhainphoiidae p. 15. 



