396 



TRLEOSTE1 



Family CROMERIIDAE. Including the minute fish, Cromeria, from the 

 White Nile. The small inferior mouth is toothless, the maxilla not 

 excluded, the parietals separated, the branchial opening narrow, the body 

 scaleless. There is no postclavicle, no symplectic, and no myodome. 



Cromeria, Blgr. ; Africa. 



Family PANTODONTIDAE. A little African freshwater flying-fish, 

 Pantodon, seems to be closely related to the Osteoglossidae, although it 

 has become highly specialised in the development of its paired fins. 

 The slender curved mesocoracoids meet in the middle line. The large 

 pectorals have the postaxial edge prolonged into a soft web joining on to 

 the side of the body ; and the pelvics, bearing only seven dermotrichia, 

 some of which are filamentous, are placed far forwards almost under 



. FIG. 388. 



Ctcnothrissa rexillifcr, 1'ictet; Upper Cretaceous, Mount Lebanon ; restored; loft-side view. 

 (After A. S. Woodward, 1'roc. Geol. Assoc.) 



the pectorals. They are thoracic in position, although the girdle is not 

 fixed to the pectoral arch. The cranial bones are not sculptured, yet 

 they resemble those of the Osteoglossidae except in the fusion of the 

 premaxillae, and the loss of the sub- and interopercular. The auditory 

 capsule is swollen into a thin -walled bulla (Peters. Boulenger [42], 

 Kidewood [364]). 



Pantodon, Peters ; W. Africa. 



Family CTENOTHRISSIDAE. A small extinct group of obscure 

 affinities, with very large pelvic fins (with eight dermotrichs) placed far 

 forward. The anterior dermal rays of the dorsal fin are unjointed. 

 Premaxillae and large maxillae, with small teeth, border the gape. The 

 parietals meet. 



Like the Pantodontidae, which they resemble somewhat in structure, 



