Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 2313 



brane ; ventrals pale. Length about 6 inches. Gulf of Mexico, in 27 to 

 88 fathoms; 1 specimen known, (albus, white; gutta, spot.) 



Cathetostoma albigutta, BEAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1892, 121, Gulf of Mexico, at Alba- 

 tross Station 2403, Lat. 28 42' 30" N., Lon. 85 29' oo" W. (Type, No. 39304, U. S. 

 Nat. Mus.) 



Suborder HAPLODOOI. 



This group is distinguished mainly by the undivided post-temporal, the 

 reduction in the number of gill arches to 3, and by the absence of pecu- 

 liarities shown by related forms. One family. (a.7tX6o$, simple; donos, a 

 shaft or beam, from the form of the post-temporal.) 



Family CXCVIII. BATRACHOIDID^E. 

 (THE TOAD-FISHES.) 



Body more or less robust, depressed anteriorly, compressed behind; head 

 large, depressed, its muciferous channels well developed; mouth very 

 large, the teeth generally strong; premaxillaries protractile; gills 3, a 

 slit behind the last; pseudobranchia) none; gill openings restricted to the 

 sides, the membranes broadly united to the isthmus; branchiostegals 

 mostly 6 ; gill rakers present, moderate ; suborbital without bony stay ; 

 post-temporal bone simple, undivided; scales small, cycloid, or wanting; 

 dorsal fins 2, the first of 2 or 3 low, stout spines; soft dorsal very long; 

 anal fin similar, but shorter; ventrals rather large, jugular, I, 2 or I, 3; 

 pectorals very broad, the rays branched; pyloric caeca none; tail diphy- 

 cercal, the caudal fin distinct, rounded j, vertebrae in large number, 32 to 45. 

 Carnivorous coast fishes, mostly of the warm seas, some of them ascend- 

 ing rivers ; the young of some or all the species fasten themselves to rocks 

 by means of an adhesive ventral disk, which soon disappears. In some 

 species the spines of the head and dorsal fin are provided with poison 

 glands. Genera 7; species about 15. (Batracliidce, Giinther, Cat., HI, 

 166-177. ) % 

 a. Dorsal spines 3; opercle developed as 2 strong diverging spines; subopercle rather 



strong, with 2 spines similar to those of opercle; no venom glands. 

 b. Body scaly; branches of subopercular spine subequal and diverging; frontal 

 region broad, flat, and slightly depressed, its median ridge rather promi- 

 nent. EATRACHOIDES, 858. 

 bb. Body scaleless; branches of subopercular spine parallel, the lower branch 

 much the shorter; vertebrad 10 + 22; frontal region not depressed, its 

 median ridge prominent ; axil with a large foramen. OPSANUS, 859. 

 aa. Dorsal spines 2; opercle very small, its posterior part developed as a single strong 

 spine ; subopercle feebly developed, narrowed, and not ending in a spine ; body 

 scaleless. 



c. Spines solid, without venom glands ; several lateral lines on sides of head and 

 body, composed of pores and shining spots, some of these accompanied by 

 cirri; canine teeth present; vertebrae 12 + 31; frontal region depressed, 

 forming a triangular area below level of temporal region, its median ridge 

 very low. PORICHTHYS, 860. 



cc. Spines of dorsal fin and operculum hollow and connected with venom glands ; 



lateral line on sides of body single ; no canine teeth. 



d. Dorsal and anal free from caudal. THALASSOPHRYNE, 861. 



dd. Dorsal and anal fully joined to caudal. DOCTOR, 862. 



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