84 TBLBOSTBI. PHYSOSTOMI. 



age. Fiiis dorsal rudimentary, commencing a little behind the 

 vertical from the branchial opening. Colour deep brown, encircled 

 with 25-30 fine narrow (yellow) whole or half bands, which 

 usually increase in width as they descend. 



Hab. Eed Sea, through the seas of India to the Malay Archipelago 

 and the Pacific. 



92. (20.) Muraena nigra. 



Mursena nigra, Day, I. Z. S. 1870, p. 702, and Fish. India, p. 674, 

 pi. clxxi, tig. 3. 



Length of head 4 in the distance between the end of the snout 

 and the vent; tail nearly one half of the total length. Eyes 

 situated nearer to the snout than to the angle of the mouth, .small, 

 diameter half that of the snout ; anterior tubular nostril of moderate 

 length. Gill-opening about as wide as the eye. Cleft of mouth 

 equals one third of length of the head; the mouth cannot be 

 completely closed. Teeth biserial, except in the mandible, where 

 there are three rows in some places ; all are obtuse except those of 

 the inner maxillary row, which are pointed and finer than the outer 

 row; premaxillary and vomerine teeth of equal size and with 

 globular heads ; mandible with about 20 teeth on each side. Fim 

 dorsal and anal moderately developed ; the former commencing 

 just behind a vertical line from the gill-opening, and half as high 

 as the body. Colour uniform black, no light edge to the fins. 



Hab. Andamans. The specimen, 16 inches long, was discovered 

 alive under a large stone at low water at Port Blair. 



2. Genus GY1INOMURJENA, Lacepede. 



Syu. Muranoblenna, Lace"p. ; Ichthyophis, Lesson ; Uropterygius 

 RUpp. ; Channomurcena, Richardson. 



Gill-openings of moderate width or narrow. Two pairs of 

 nostrils on the upper surface of the snout, the posterior being a 

 round foramen, or with a short tube. Teeth small, pointed, and 

 numerous. Fins absent, except a rudimentary one round the end 

 of the tail. Scales absent. 



Geographical Distribution. Indian and Pacific Oceans. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 

 Tail nearly twice as long as trunk. Brownish, 



with dark blotches 1. G. tigrina, p. 84. 



Tail rather longer than trunk. Grey, marbled 



with arborescent dark lines 2. G. marmorata, p. 85. 



93. (1.) Gymnomuraea tigrina. 



Ichthyophis tigrinus, Lesson, Mem. Soc. d'Hist. Nat. Paris, iv, 



p. 399. 

 Gymnomurjena tigrina, Day, Fish. India, p. 674 (see synon.). 



