682 



FISHES. 



HiPPOCAMPiNA. — The tail is prehensile, and invariably with- 

 out caudal fin. — Sea-horses. 



Gastrotokeus. — Body depressed, the lateral line running 

 along the margin of the abdomen. Shields smooth. Tail 

 shorter than the body. Pectoral fins. No pouch is developed 

 for the ova, which are imbedded in the soft integument of the 

 abdomen of the male. 



Gastrotokeus hiaculeatus, very common in the Indian 

 Ocean to the coasts of Australia. 



SOLENOGNATHUS. — Body compressed, deeper than broad. 

 Shields hard, rugose, with round or oval interannular plates ; 

 and without elongate processes. Tail shorter than the body. 

 Pectoral fins. 



Three species, from the Chinese and Australian Seas ; 

 they are the largest of Lophobranclis, S. hardwickii, attaining 

 to a length of nearly two feet. 



Phyllopteryx. — Body compressed, or as broad as deep. 

 Shields smooth, but some or all of them are provided with pro- 



Fig. 309. — Phyllopteryx eques. 



minent spines or processes on the edges of the body ; some of 

 the processes with cutaneous filaments. A pair of spines on the 

 upper side of the snout and above the orbit. Tail about as long 

 as the body. Pectoral fins. The ova are imbedded in soft mem- 



