320 On some Cretaceous Fishes from Mount Lebanon. 



the symphysial end, and the lower portion of the left 

 mandibular ramus (described as " a narrow bone " by Davis) 

 is shown from within. Except the large laniary just 

 mentioned, the remains comprise no traces of teeth. The 

 liead, indeed, has precisely tlie aspect of that of Spaniodon, 

 which is characterized by a single pair of enlarged teeth near 

 the symphysis of the mandible. If the trunk and fins be 

 carefully compared with Spaniodon, they also will be found 

 to present no generic differences from the latter. The 

 number of vertebrae is approximately 50, and, as shown by 

 the sigmoidal curvature of the vertebral axis, the abdominal 

 region is shortened by crushing. The fins, as described and 

 figured by Davis^ are exactly those of Spaniodon. Allowing, 

 indeed, for the distortion already mentioned, there is no 

 reason why the fish should not be referred to Spaniodon 

 hrevis *. Possibly the resemblance escaped Davis's observa- 

 tion on account of the extreme distortion of the speciraea 

 which he selected to represent the latter species f- 



5. Pantopliolis dorsalis^ J. W. Davis, he. cit. p. 600, pi. xxxvi. 

 fig. 2. 



The specimen on which this genus and species are founded 

 is still unique, and unfortunately too imperfect to display the 

 essential characters of the fish it represents. The head is 

 distorted and exposed chiefly from beneath, but only a few 

 fragments are distinguishable. It is clear that the postero- 

 lateral portion of the cranium was ornamented with fine 

 radiating lines. Remains of the two opercula show that they 

 were similarly ornamented with very prominent fine ridges 

 radiating backwards from the point of suspension. The 

 mandible must have been slender, about as long as the 

 cranium, and probably destitute of external ornament. Near 

 its symphysial end, but not quite at the extremity, is a rela- 

 tively large lanciform tooth, laterally compressed, the crown 

 marked by very feeble longitudinal striations, the base slightly 

 expanded and fused witli the dentary bone. Remains of 

 three similar but smaller teeth are seen well-spaced further 

 back in the same I'amus. Another large laterally-compressed 

 tooth, evidently displaced, is also exposed below the anterior 

 end of the ramus, and there are scattered traces of compara- 

 tively small pointed teeth. Beneath the mandible there are 

 indications of about 12 pairs of slender, well-spaced, branchio- 

 stegal rays, as already noted by Davis. The vertebral centra 



* Pictet & Humbert, oj). cit. p. 86, pi. xii. figs. 3, 4. 

 t J. W. Davis, loc. cit. p. 592, pi. xxxiv. fi-j. 1. 



