28 3 



2. Myrichthys Girard. 



(GiRARD, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philadelphia 1859, p. 58). 



Much elongate. Anus in the anterior half of the length. 

 Dorsal beginning on the nape, far before gillopenings. Dorsal 

 and anal ending at a long or short distance before end of tail. 

 Pectorals short but broad rudiments. Head small, conical. Snout 

 short, pointed, convex, much projecting beyond the mouth, 

 which is small; its cleft extending to the vertical from hind- 

 border of eye or behind it. Eye small. Anterior nostrils in 



Fig. 129. Myrichthys (Myrichthys) maculosus (Cuv.) Richards, nat. size. 



tubes on the flattened lower surface of the snout; posterior 

 nostrils wide, in the upper lip, looking downward, anteriorly with 

 a flap. Tongue not free. Teeth obtusely conical or granular, in 

 2 series in the jaws, on the vomer and intermaxillary plate. 

 Gillopenings rather small, oblique, lateral slits, separated by 

 an interspace of moderate extent. 

 Distribution: Tropical seas. 



Key to the subgenera. 



1. Dorsal and anal ending at short distance from tip of tail. Myrichthys p. 283. 



2. Anal ending before end of dorsal, which is situated far 



from tip of tail Chlevastes p. 285. 



I. Subgenus Myrichthys Girard (s.str.). 



(GiRARD, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philadelphia 1859, p. 58. Jordan & Davis, 

 U. S. Comm. fish. (1888) 1892, p. 616). 



Dorsal and anal ending at a short distance from tip of tail. 



