SPHAGEBRANCHUS. SPHAGEBRANCHUS. 



Generic Character. 



Corpus anguilliforme. 

 Pinna perforates nulla?. 

 Spiracula duo sub collo. 



Body eel-shaped. 

 Pectoral fins none. 

 Spiracles two, beneath the 

 neck. 



ROSTRATED SPHAGEBRANCHUS. 



Sphagebranchus rostratus. S. capite rostrato. Bloch. 12. p. 



79- *. 4lp. /. 2. 



Sphagebranchus with the upper lip produced into a snout. 

 Mursena coeca. M. apterygia, rostro acutiusculo. Lin. Syst. 



Nat. p. 426. 



TH 



IS genus, which resembles the preceding, 

 except in the circumstance of a double instead of a 

 single branchial aperture beneath the neck, consists 

 at present of a single species only. The specimen 

 mentioned by Dr. Bloch, who appears to have been 

 its first describer, measured about nine inches, and 

 was supposed to be still in a young state : it is repre- 

 sented in its natural size on the annexed plate, and 

 was of a cylindric form, destitute both of fins and 

 scales : the upper jaw was considerably longer than 

 the lower, being produced into a sharpened snout : 

 the eyes were small ; the teeth numerous, and the 

 two spiracles or branchial orifices were situated at 



