516 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. xxxn. 



2. SYNODUS Gronow. 



Synodiis Gronow, Mus. Ichth., II, 1763, no. 151 {Synodus). 



Tirus Rapinesque, Caratteri, 1810, p. 56 {marmoratus) . 



Saurus Cuvier, Regne Animal, 1st ed., 1817, p. 169 {saiirus). 



Alpismaris Risso, Eur. Merid., Ill, 1826, p. 458 {risso = young of saurus). 



Lmirida Swainson, Glass. Animal., II, 1839, p. 287 (mediterranea = saurus). 



Body elongate, subterete; head depressed; snout triangular, 

 rather pointed ; interorbital region transversely concave ; mouth very 

 wide; first superior pharyngeal cartilaginous, second toothless, third 

 and fourth separate, with teeth; lower pharyngeals separate; pre- 

 maxillaries not protractile, very long and strong, more than half length 

 of head; maxillaries closely connected with premaxillaries and very 

 small or obsolete; premaxillaries with one or two series of large, com- 

 pressed, knife-shaped teeth, the inner and larger depressible; palatine 

 teeth similar, smaller, in a single broad band; lower jaw with a band 

 of rather large teeth, the inner and larger ones depressible; a patch 

 of strong, depressible teeth on tongue in front, a long row along the 

 hyoid bone; jaws subequal; eye rather large, anterior; supraorbital 

 forming a projection above the eye; pseudobranchiae well developed; 

 gill-rakers very small, spine-like; gill-membranes slightly connected; 

 top of head naked, cheeks and opercles scaled like body; body cov- 

 ered with small, adherent, cycloid scales; no luminous spots; dorsal 

 fin short, rather anterior; pectorals moderate, inserted high; ven- 

 trals anterior, not far behind pectorals, large, the inner rays longer 

 than the outer; anal short; caudal narrow, forked; vent posterior, 

 nmch nearer base of caudal than base of ventrals; branchiostegals 12 

 to 16; stomach with a long, blind sac and many pyloric caeca; skele- 

 ton rather firm. 



Species numerous; voracious fishes of moderate size, inhabiting 

 sandy bottoms of most shallow, warm seas. 



((Tw, together; oSovg^ tooth.) 



2. SYNODUS JAPONICUS (Houttuyn). 



Colitis japonicaa Houttuyn, Verh. Holl. Maat. Harlem, XX, 1782, p. 450 

 (Nagasaki). 



oHouttuyn's description of Cobitis japonica is very incomplete. It must, however, 

 refer to some species of lizard-fish from Nagasaki. In the number of fin rays the de- 

 scription agrees with the present species, and not with any other. The following is a 

 translation of Houttuyn 's account: Head beardless, rather short; mouth with both 

 jaws full of sharp teeth; body terete and fleshy like that of a snake or eel. D. 12; A. 9; 

 P. 12; V. 8. Length, 5 inches. None of the other Japanese species except Synodus 

 varius shows such a difference between dorsal and anal. 



