96 



of trunk. Shields transversely striated ; intermedial shields 

 (scutella) large, oval. Head very small without ridges. Snout 

 extremely small. Operculum without keel. Caudal rudimen- 

 tary, all the other fms are wanting. 

 Trunk short, at least twice as short 

 as tail. Eggs in a brood-pouch on the 

 anterior part of the tail formed by 

 cutaneous folds beginning at the anus 

 and united mesially. 



Distribution: There are only 2 

 species known : one from Mauritius, 

 the other from the island Gisser near 

 Ceram. They are marine fishes living 

 near shore. 



I. Penetopteryx epinnulatus (M. Web.) 

 [Fig. 40, p. 96]. 



Apterygocampus epinnulatus Max Weber, Siboga- 

 Exp. Fische. 1913, p. 116. 



Penetopteryx epinnulatus Duncker, Mitt. a. d. 

 naturh. Mus. Hamburg XXXII. 19 15, p. 102. 



Rings 12 + 38. 



Body nearly rounded. Trunk feebly 

 hexagonal as all the cristae are only 

 indicated by a short edge on the ante- 

 rior part of the rings. Superior and 

 inferior cristae of trunk and tail con- 

 tinuous; median cristae of trunk ending 

 on the 1 1 til ring of trunk. Tail feebly 

 four-sided, 4 times longer than trunk. 

 Head iiV^ times in length, 2 times 

 in trunk, it is somewhat rounded, all 

 edges wanting. Snout extremely short, 

 rounded, thick, half as long as post- 

 orbital part of head, dorsally slightly 

 concave and obliquely rising to the 

 front. Eye nearly 5 times in head. 

 Operculum without a keel, caudal rudi- 

 mentary. Yellowish with a white spot on each 2n<i ring; white 

 spots and rings in bands between eyes, below them and on 



Fig. 40. Penetopteryx 



epinnulatus (M. Web.). 



X 6. 



