LOPHOBRANCHII. 



Fam. 2. Pegasidse. 



Breast extraordinarily developed, much broader than high, 

 with a long pectoral extended on 9-10 firm spine-like rays. 

 Gill-opening lateral, lying under the flatly expanded gill-plate, 

 which is depressed to the ventral aspect of the body. The mouth 

 like that of a Sturgeon, placed at the base of the elongated 

 upper piece of the snout. The body furnished with three rings, 

 having knobs or spines. Breast-ring unusually broad, extended 

 between the two gill-plates, and armed with two spines, point- 

 ing forwards near the gill -opening. On the belly two cartila- 

 ginous ventrals, of two rays, stand out from the narrow ring, 

 the inner ray being lengthened out into a filament. The tail 

 is flatly expanded, four-cornered, and spiny, with a dorsal and 

 anal fin of five rays, standing on 2-4 rings. Tail-fin having 10 

 firm rajs. 



Genus 1. PEGASUS, Linn. 



Cataphractus, Gronov. 



Diagnosis and description of the genus, the same as that of 

 the family. 



1. Pegasus laternarius, Cuv. 



Pegasus laternarius, Cuv. R.A. ii. 365. 



Diagn. — Spines of the four dorsal edges directed backwards. 

 Tail with 9-11 rings. Body oval. 



Descr. — The snout is less elongated, more poniard-shaped, 

 without a leaf-like appendage. On the under piece of the snout 

 there appear two distinct, narrow appendages directed down- 

 wards, and six spines. The edge of the upper snout-piece is 

 finely denticulated, with coarser teeth near the point of the ap- 

 pendage. A mechal row of very variable spines exists on the 

 point of the snout. The orbits have thin expanded borders, 

 strongly notched before and behind, and denticulated on the 

 edges. No deep cavities on the concave forehead, or on the 

 breast-ring nigh the occiput. In the concave back there are 

 four longitudinal keels, of which the middle one is formed by 

 three laterally compressed, short spinous projections pointing 

 backwards. On the prominent side-lines only two such spines 



b 2 



