138 Mr. C. T. Regan on the 



fourth ; ribs on parapophyses when these are developed ; 

 epipleurals attached near insertion of ribs. 



Ceniropercis nudivittis, Ogilb., 1895 (Waite, Mem. Austral. 

 Mus.iy. 1, 1899, pi. xi. fig. 2), is evidently closely related to 

 Champsodon. 



Division 10. Trachiniformes. 



This is an unsatisfactory and perhaps artificial assemblage 

 of families. The dorsal and anal fins are more or less elon- 

 gate, the latter preceded by only 1 or 2 feeble spines, the 

 pectorals have vertical bases and the pelvics, inserted below 

 or in advance of the pectorals, have the middle or inner rays 

 longest. The head-skeleton is Perciform, but a constant 

 feature is the absence of well-marked crests on the upper 

 surface of the skull. The pectoral radials are 3 or 4 in 

 number, the 2 lowest inserted on the hypocoracoid. For 

 the whole or the greater part of the length of the soft dorsal 

 fin there is one ray to each myotome. 



Fam. 1. Opisthognathidae. 



Lateral line single, running high, incomplete, ending near 

 middle of dorsal fin. Dorsal continuous, with the spinous 

 and soft-rayed portions subequal ; anal with 2 spines ; 

 caudal with 11 or 15 principal rays, 12 or 13 branched ; 

 pelvics in advance of the pectorals, close together, each 

 of a spine and 5 soft rays, without scaly axillary process. 

 Mouth terminal, nearly horizontal, protractile ; jaws 

 normally formed ; maxillary broad, exposed, with supra- 

 maxillary ; villiform or cardiform teeth in jaws and 

 sometimes on vomer. Two nostrils on each side, (i ill- 

 membranes free from the isthmus ; 6 branchiostegals ; 

 4 gills ; pseudobranchia3 present. A narrow subocular 

 shelf. Skull narrow between and expanded behind the 

 orbits ; postorbital part evenly convex above ; occipital 

 crest only on the posterior face of skull, which is long and 

 oblique; no parietal crests; exoccipital condyles separate ; 

 prootics forming a roof for myodome and basisphenoid 

 present. Foramen in hypercoracoid ; radials rather broad and 

 flat, 2 on hypercoracoid and 2 on hypocoracoid. Vertebrae 

 29 (10 + 19) ; prsecaudals with parapophyses from the fifth ; 

 3 ribs sessile, 5 on parapophyses ; epipleurals on ribs. 



Principal genera : Gnathypops, Stalix, Opisthognathns. 



