HAPLOMI. 225 



chelys (Chlopsis), Oxyconger, Hoplunnis, Neoconger, all with superior or 

 lateral nostrils, and Myrus, Ahlia, Myrophis, Paramyrus, Chilorhinus, 

 Muraenichthys with nostrils in the upper lip, may be placed here. Oph- 

 ichthys Gthr. (Ophichthus), nostrils labial, extremity of tail free, more than 

 eighty species known, very numerous in trop. seas, formidable den- 

 tition in jaws and palate ; Sphagebranchus, Verma, Letharchus, Myr- 

 ichthys, Pisoodonophis, Callechelys, Bascanichthys, Quassiremus, Mystri- 

 ophis, Scytalichthys, Brachysomophis, are other allied genera ; Moringua 

 Gray, E. Ind., Fiji, Japan. 



Group 2. Eels in which the branchial openings in the pharynx are 

 narrow slits. 



Muraena Gthr., scaleless ; teeth well developed ; pectoral fins absent, 

 are as abundantly represented in tropical and sub-tropical waters as is 

 Ophichthys ; more than eighty species ; most of them with formidable 

 teeth, attain a length of 8 ft. and attack man, most are highly coloured. 

 M. helena L., the muraena of the ancient Romans, can be domesticated, 

 will live in fresh-water, Mediterranean, etc. ; other genera are Gymno- 

 muraena, Myroconger, Enchelycore, Pythonichthys, Rabula, Lycodontis, 

 Echidna Forster 1778, Uropterygius, Channomuraena. 



The family Saecopharyngidae may be placed here. They are eel-like 

 deep-sea (Atlantic) fishes with feeble muscular system, but little earthy 

 matter in their bones, and branchial arches far behind the skull, without 

 palato-pterygoid bar, narrow tail ending in filament, and with pedunculated 

 appendages in place of the lateral line. Sacco pharynx, Gastrostomus, Eury- 

 pharynx. 



Sub-order 5. HAPLOMI (ESOCIFORMES). Pike-like fishes. 



Soft-rayed fishes with the mesocoracoid wanting, the cora- 

 coids normally developed, and the post-temporal normally at- 

 tached to the cranium. Parietal bones separated by the supra- 

 occipital. Symplectic present, opercular bones well developed. 

 Anterior vertebrae unmodified. Air-bladder with duct ; pelvic 

 fins abdominal, rarely absent. First ray of dorsal fin occasion- 

 ally stiffened and spine-like ; no adipose fin. Chiefly f . w. 



Fam. 24. Galaxiidae. Xaked, without barbels ; margin of upper 

 jaw chiefly formed by premaxillaries. Dorsal fin opposite anal ; pseudo- 

 branch absent. Without adipose fin ; with air-bladder. Ova dehisced 

 into abdomen F. w. and seas of temperate parts of S. hemisphere 

 (S. Afr., Patagonia, N. Zealand, Tasmania), some are katadromous ; 

 Galaxias Cuv. 



Fam. 25. Haplochitonidae, representing the salmonoids in the S. 

 hemisphere. Haplochiwn Jen. ; Prototroctes Gthr. 



Fam. 26. Enehodontidae. Extinct, Cretaceous. Enchodus Ag., etc. 



Fam. 27. Esocidae. Body covered with scales ; margin of upper 

 jaw formed by premaxillaries and toothless maxillaries ; barbels and 

 adipose fin absent ; unpaired fins far back ; stomach without blind sac ; 

 pyloric caeca absent ; pseudobranch glandular hidden ; air-bladder 

 simple ; gill-opening very wide ; noted for their voracity. Esox (L. ) 

 Cuv. (Lucius Raf.), the pikes, f. w. of temp. Eur., Asia and Amer. 

 z. ii. Q 



