obsolete; pseudobranchia present. First dorsal, if present, spinous, 

 second dorsal opposite to anal, both are long or short. Caudal 

 present. Rays of median fins not branched distally. Ventrals 

 abdominal, with 6 articulated rays and the pelvic bones 

 separated. Pectorals with 4 well developed pterygials, the 3 

 lower ones of which arc enlarged. 



Carnivorous fishes of tropical and subtropical seas. 



Key to the subfamilies of Aulostomatidae. 



1. Body compressed, scaly. A spinous and a long soft 

 dorsal. Intermaxillaries edentulous. Anus far behind 



ventrals. A symphysial barbel. Caudal rhombic ■lulosloinatinac p. 9. 



2. Body strongly depressed, without scales, or a single 

 median dorsal and ventral row only. A soft dorsal 

 only, which is short and posterior. Intermaxillaries with 

 teeth. Anus close to ventrals. No symphysial barbel. 

 Caudal incised, the 2 median rays prolonged into a 



filament Fistnlariinae p. II. 



I. Subfam. Aulostomatinae. 



Body compressed, elongate, covered with small, ctenoid 

 scales, wanting only on head and anterior part of back. Lateral 

 line continuous, independent from scales. Supraoccipital small, 

 wedged in between the frontals and laterally sided by the 

 epiotics, which do not meet mesially. The long tubiform snout 



Fig. 3. Aulostoina vahtitiiii (Blkr.) X V.i- 



is compressed. Intermaxillaries edentulous; mandibles with a 

 small patch of teeth close to symphysis and a larger one further 

 behind. Vomer anteriorly with a longitudinal patch of numerous 

 minute teeth. Entopterygoids and metapterygoids each with an 

 oval patch of teeth. Palatines without them. Lower jaw pro- 

 minent, with a symphysial barbel. Spinous dorsal composed 

 of isolated slender, rather weak spines. Soft dorsal and anal 

 similar, rather long, composed of 23 — 29 rays of which the 4 

 anterior are spine-like. Anal immediately behind anus, which 

 is situated far behind ventrals. Caudal small, rhombic. Supra- 

 cleithrum (supraclavicle) absent. Four branchiostegals. 



