ON THE FAMILY RANICIPITID^. 



ny 

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



(With Plate XVIII.) 



In 1872, I named the family BanicipiUdw and in 1884 defined its 

 external characteristics. Not then having a skeleton, however, some 

 doubt was entertained as to its relations as well as standing. A skele- 

 ton, since made by Mr". F. Lucas, enables me now to give the full char- 

 acteristics. The family proves to be nearly related to the Gadidw, but 

 presents some remarkable peculiarities, especially the enlarged system 

 of suborbital bones and the preceding nasal as well as succeeding supra- 

 opercular bones. 



In 1837, Dr. Richard Parnell first drew attention to the divergence of 

 the genus lianiceps from the true Oadidw* His remarks were as 

 follows : 



The cosophagua is short and wide ; the stomach is of an oval form, and the intes- 

 tines arc entirely destitute of coeca. In this last respect the tadpole fish is an excep- 

 tion in the family Gadida'., where the ccecal appendages are numerous, so as to form 

 one of the principal characters of that family ; and it is evident that Cuvier had not 

 been acquainted with its anatomical structure, for had he been so he would not have 

 placed this fish in the family in which it now stands. A now family ought to be con- 

 stituted for it, inasmuch as it ditfers from the Gadi' in having the head covered with 

 scales, as well as in having the intestines free from cceca. 



The Intestines are not entirely free from ccEca, inasmuch as two small 

 ones are present, as in many Brotnlids and Lycodids^ nor is the extension 

 of scales on the head a character of family value. Nevertheless, the 

 physiognomy is so peculiar as to excite attention and the characters 

 revealed by dissection warrant the isolation of Raniceps in a special 

 family. 



In 1863, the present writer! remarked that "from the Gadoids T am 

 disposed to separate the genera lianiceps of Cnxier and Bregmaceros 

 of Thompson, the former of which has been already considered by Dr. 

 Parnell as the type of an independent family, and to similar rank the 

 latter is probably likewise entitled." In 1872 I named the family and 

 in 1884 diagnosed it. I now give an amended diagnosis and a full 

 description of the family characters. 



*Contributions to the Ichthyology of the Firth of Forth. No. II. — The Tadpole Fish. 

 By Richard Parnell. < Mag. Zool. and Bot., i, pp. 344-347 (347), jil. 1". 



t Descriptions of the genera of Gadoid and Brotuloid Fishes of Western North 



America. By Theodore Gill. < Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc, Phila., 1863, pp. 242-i>54 ('243). 



Proceedings of the National Mu.seuni. Vol. XIII — No. 816. 



235 



