313 



I. Suborder Op h i oc ep hal oid ei. 



Elongate, more or less cylindrical, compressed posteriorly. 

 Fins without spines. Dorsal and anal fins long. Pectorals 

 present. Ventrals present or absent, inserted not far behind 

 pectorals. Pelvic bones connected to the symphysis of the 

 cleithra by a ligament. Mouth large, protractile ; the maxillaries 

 excluded from the oral border. Curved teeth on intermaxil- 

 laries, mandibles, vomer and palatines. Canine teeth always 

 present in lower jaw, sometimes also on vomer and palatines. 

 Scales moderate, cycloid, striated, very large and shield-like 

 on upper surface of head. Lateral line present, with a more 

 or less developed curve in its anterior half or interrupted. Air- 

 bladder present, continued into a prolongation of the abdominal 

 cavity in the tail. Anterior ribs sessile, the remainder inserted 

 on parapophyses. Four gills, gillrakers present. No pseudo- 

 branchiae. An accessory superbranchial cavity present, but 

 no labyrinthiform organ '). Gillmembranes free from isthmus, 

 but connected with each other. 



Distribution: Freshwater of eastern and south-eastern 

 Asia, indo-australian Archipelago as far as Halmahera to the 

 east, and tropical Africa. 



I. Ophiocephalus Bloch. 



(Bloch, Ausland. Fische VII. 1793, p. 137)- 



Fig. 84. Ophiocephalus melanoptcrus Blkr. X '^'ny 



Ventrals present. For other characters and for distribution 

 of the genus, see those of the suborder. 



i) For particulars see Max Rautiiek, Ergebnisse und Fortschritte der Zoologie 

 II. Heft 4, 1910, p. 522—531. 



