Classification of Aphredoderus gibbosus Le Sueur. 399 



XXXIX. — On the Classification of the Aphredoderus glbbosits 

 Le Sueur / Scolopsis sajanus J. Gilliams. 



By Theo. A. Tellkampf, M.D. 

 Read November 5, 1866. 



In an article on the blind fish* (Amblyopsis) I made the fol- 

 lowing remarks : Whether the " Aphredoderusf and Ambly- 

 opsis are to be brought together in a new family, Heteropygii, 

 remains to be decided. Prof. Job. Miiller is of the opinion, 

 that it Avill depend upon the fact, whether the air-bladder of 

 the Aphredoderus has an air-duct or not, for not one of the 

 Acanthopterygii has such an organ. If the Aphredoderus has 

 no air-duct it cannot be classified in the same family with the 

 Amblyopsis ; it would in that case be a Heteropygius among 

 the Acanthopterygii, the only representative of a family ana- 

 logous to that of which the Amblyopsis should be the only repre- 

 sentative among the Malacopterygii ; but if the Aphredoderus 

 has an air-duct it is certain that both fish belong together. 

 The family containing them would form a family by itself, 

 which could be classified neither with the Acanthopterygii nor 

 with the Malacopterygii abdominales." 



In order to decide this question, I have carefully examined 

 some specimens, some last year, some quite recently. In dis- 

 secting the cellular tissue, by which a portion of the air-bladder 

 is attached to the oesophagus, I made use of lenses and of the 

 microscope. 



Although from the examination made last year, of some 

 young specimens, which were for some time preserved in alco- 

 hol (with air-bladders collapsed), I was convinced that the air- 

 bladder had no air-duct ; still I considered it necessary, in 

 order to remove all doubts on this subject, to establish the fact, 



* J. Miiller's Archiv, 1844, p. 387. Berlin. 



\ Classified by Cuvier and Valenciennes with the Percoides. Hist. Nat. des Pois- 



sons, pp. 450-452. 



NOVEMBER, 1866. 29 Ann. Lyo. Nat. Hist. Vol. VIII. 



