374 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 



Ichthyapus, BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE, Revue Zob'logique, 219, 1847, (acutirostris). 

 Ophisuraphis, KAUP, Apodes, 29, 1856, (gracilis). 



This genus contaius several little-known species of small eels remarka- 

 ble for showing no trace of fins in the adult stage. The snout projects 

 beyond the small mouth, giving a shark-like profile, and the small teeth 

 are mostly uniserial. The gill-slits are inferior and converging. The 

 name Sphagebranchus was based on a species which evidently belongs to the 

 genus. It has, therefore, clear priority over Ichthyapus and Apterichthys. 



This genus is the most simple in structure among the genera of Ophich- 

 thyidw, as Ophichthus is probably the most specialized. Its loss of fins is 

 doubtless due to degeneration, but it seems nearer the primitive type than 

 Erachysomophis or Ophichthus. (tr^af, throat; /Spdy^m, gills.) 



a. EyeB visible. Tail nearly half longer than head and trunk ; gill slits inferior, converging. 

 b. Head 6 times in trunk. ANGUIFORMIS, 611. 



bb. Head little more than 4 times in trunk. SELACHOPS, 612. 



611. SPHAGEBRANCHUS ANGTJIFORMIS (Peters). 



Eyes externally visible. Tail nearly one-half longer than head and 

 trunk. Head 6 in trunk, 17 in total length. Flesh-colored, with small 

 black spots. (Peters.) Open Atlantic, near the West Indies ; a small eel, 

 once taken, (anguis, the slow worm; forma, form.) 



Ophichthys (Spliagebranchus) angui* rmis, PETERS, Berlin Monatsaber., 1876, 849, Atlantic Ocean, 



I540'N., 23 5' W. 

 Sphagebranchus anguiformis, JORDAN & DAVIS, I.e., 615, 



612. SPHAGEBRANCHUS.SELACHOPS (Jordan & Gilbert). 



Eyes well developed. Tail nearly half longer than head and trunk. 

 Head a little more than 4 times in trunk; tail sharp-pointed; snout sharp; 

 cleft of mouth 1\ to 3 in head ; gill slits almost horizontal, converging for- 

 wards, as in S. rostratus, the isthmus equal to eye, which is 2 in snout. 

 General color light brown, slightly dusky on the back and more dusky 

 along the lateral line; head mottled with dusky spots. Rocks about 

 Cape San Lucas ; not rare. (atAa^of, shark ; wi/;, face.) 



Apterichthys selachops, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1882, 356, Cape San Lucas. 



(Type, No. 4391. Coll. Xantus.) 



Ichthyapus selachops, JORDAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1885, 369. 

 Sphagebranchus selachops, JORDAN & DAVIS, I. c., 615. 



176. VERMA, Jordan & Evermann. 



Verma, JORDAN & EVERMANN, new genus, (kendalli). 



Body greatly elongate. Anterior nostrils in a short tube ; posterior 

 without tube. Teeth on head of vomer in a ^-shaped patch; none on 

 shaft. Closely allied to Spliagebranchus , but differing from that genus in 

 the transverse position of its gill-slits, which are as in the European 

 genus Ccecula. (vermis, worm.) 



a. Tail but little longer than head and trunk. Head 7% in trunk ; gill slits small, transverse. 



KENDALLI, 613. 



