THE OSTEOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FAMILY SYNA- 

 PHOBRANCHID^. 



BY 



Theodore Gill, M.D., Ph.D. 



The family Synaphohranchidcv was indicated in 1862 by Mr. James 

 Yates Johnson in "Descriptions of New Genera and Species of Fishes 

 obtained at Madeira." It was, however, based on superficial charac- 

 ters, and little idea could be derived from the characters visible ex- 

 ternally as to the real affinities of the type. Mr. Johnson's diagnosis 

 was as follows: 



This genus \^Sijnapltobranchu8'] forms the type of a new family of raalacopterygiau 

 apodals, which differs from all previously established families, except the Synbran- 

 chid(v, iu having the gill-opeuiugs close together on the ventral aspect; and from the 

 SynbrancliidcB it is distinguished by the presence of fins. Moreover, from the Murce- 

 nxda' it is separated by the possession of pectoral fins, and from the Congridce by the 

 possession of scales and by the vent being before the commencement of the dorsal 

 fin.* 



Nothing has been since added to our knowledge of the essential char- 

 acters of the group, although a number of additional species have been 

 made known. The following description will therefore prove to be 

 useful, it is thought. 



SYNAPHOBRANCHID^. 



Synonyms as family names, 



= Synaphobranchidae, Johnson, Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1862, p. 169. 



= Syuaphobrauchoidei, Sleeker, Atlas Ich. Indo-Neerland., v. 4, p. 13, 1864. 



= Synaphobranchidae, Gill, Arrangement Fam. Fishes, p. 20, 1872; Gill, Standard 



Nat. Hist., V. 3, p. 108, 1885. 

 = Synaphobranchidse, Jordan c^- Gilbert, Syn. Fishes N. Am., p. 364, 1882. 



Synonyin as group name. 



= Syuaphobranchina, Gunther, Cat. Fishes B. M ., v. 8, pp. 19,22, 1870. 



DIAGNOSIS. 



Euchelycephalous Apodals with conic pointed head, moderate oper- 

 cular apparatus, lateral maxillines, cardiform teeth, distinct tongue, in- 

 ferior branchial apertures discharging by a common aperture, continu- 



*Proc. Xool, Soc, Loudon, 1862, p. 169. 



Pioceedjuga National Museum, Vol. XIII— No, 804, 



Proc. N, M. 90-— U m 



