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Key to the in do-australian species 

 of Muraenichthys. 



I. Dorsal much in advance of the vent. 



1. Origin of dorsal nearer to gillopenings than to 



vent M. macropterus p. 275. 



2. Origin of dorsal nearer to vent than to gill- 

 openings M. gymnoptews p. 276. 



II. Origin of dorsal above or slightly behind or 

 before vent. 



1. Head and body twice in tail M. sibogae p. 276. 



2. Head and body i 1 /^ times or less in tail. 



A. Head more than 10 times in length; cleft 



of mouth extending slightly behind eye . . M. gymnotus p. 277. 

 /?. Head 7 to more than 9 times in length ; cleft 



of mouth reaching far behind eye. 



a. Height 20 30, head 7 8 in length. 



a. Eye situated behind middle of cleft of 



mouth. Teeth in jaws in bands . . . . M. schnitzel p. 277. 

 /3. Eye situated before middle of cleft of 



mouth. Teeth in the jaws in a single 



series M. macrostomus p. 278. 



b. Height 38, head 8 times in length, head 

 and body 1.2 in tail. Snout very pointed. 

 Eye behind middle of cleft of mouth, cleft 



4 times in head M. huysmani p. 278. 



c. Height 40 48, head somewhat more than 

 9, head and body 1.6 in tail. Snout very 

 pointed. Eye slightly before middle of 

 cleft of mouth, cleft somewhat less than 



3 times in head M. acutirostris p. 279. 



i. Muraenichthys macropterus Blkr. 



Muraenichthys macropterus Bleeker, Act. Soc. Sc. Indo-neerl. II. 1857, Achtste 

 Bijdr. Vischfauna Ambon, p. 91. All. Ichth. IV. 1864, p. 31. 



Muraenichthys macropterus Giinther, Cat. Brit. Mus. VIII. 1870, p. 52. Fische 

 d. Siidsee Heft IX. 1910, p. 396. 



Height 27.5 40; head about 7.5, 2 to 2.2 in trunk. Head 

 and trunk about 1.3 to 1.5 times in tail. Eye 8 12, twice 

 in snout. Cleft of mouth reaching behind eye. Origin of dorsal 

 nearer to the gillopenings than to anus; its distance from 

 vertical through anus nearly 1.2 1.5 longer than head. Man- 

 dibulary and maxillary teeth small, subconical, in 2 series. 



