Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 387 



dark borders formed by spots ; pectoral black at tip, the remainder more 

 or less dusky. West Indian Fauna, north to Pensacola; rather common; 

 variable.* (inter, between ; tinctus, colored.) 



Ophitunu intertinctus, RICHARDSON, Voy. Erebus & Terror, Fishes, 102, 1844, West Indies. 

 Ophixuru* sinjillatn*, RICHARDSON, Voy. Erebus & Terror, 103, 1844, probably West Indies. 

 Crotalnpsis punctifer, KAUP, Abhandl. Wiss. Verein Hamb., iv, 2, 12, pi. 1, fig. 3, 1860, Puerto 



Cabello. 



Conger mordax, POEY, Memorias, u, 319, 1860, Cuba. 

 Ophichthys schneideri, STEINDACHNER, Ich. Beitr., viu, 66, 1879,Brazil. 

 Macrodonophu mordax, POET, Repertorio, n, 252, 1868. 

 OphichOnjs punctifer, GtiNTHER, Cat., 56, 1870. 

 OphichHii/tt iittrrtinctm, GUNTHER, Cat., vm, 57, 1870 ; JORDAN, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1884, 43; 



JORDAN, Cat. Fish. N. A., 53, 1885 ; JORDAN & DAVIS, I. <., 635. 

 Orotalopsis mordax, GOODE & BEAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1879, 344. 



185. SCYTALICHTHYS, Jordan & Davis. 



Scytalichthys, JORDAN & DAVIS, Apodal Fishes, 635, 1892, (miurus). 



This genus contains a single species allied to Mystriophitt, but dis- 

 tinguished by the presence of movable canines on the vomer, and by the 

 very short tail. (a/curoA??, viper; Ix6vf r fish.) 



636. SCYTALICHTHYS MIURUS (Jordan <fe Gilbert). 



Vomerine teeth in one series of about 4 slender depressible canines; 

 tail very short, much shorter than rest of body. Dorsal fin inserted well 

 behind tip of pectorals ; gill opening midway between eye and begin- 

 ning of dorsal fin ; pectoral fin very short, as long as snout, 10 in head; 

 snout short, 4 in cleft of mouth ; head depressed and pointed, the mouth 

 large ; teeth long, those on vomer and side of lower jaw canine-like; 

 teeth of upper jaw biserial, rather small ; lower teeth uniserial ; vomer- 

 ine teeth uniserial ; eye small, placed well forward ; gill openings 

 small, transverse, inferior, as in Ccccula imberbis, the slit as long as 

 snout and wider than isthmus ; head 4f in the very long trunk ; tail 

 If in rest of body ; cleft of mouth 2 in head. Coloration light yellow- 

 ish, a series of roundish dark brown blotches on each side of body, the 

 two series alternating ; two alternating series of small half blotches on 

 the back, these coalescing into one on median line before dorsal ; head 

 with small, dark spots ; sides of lower jaw spotted ; fins pale. Length 

 1 foot. Cape San Lucas ; two specimens known, (/ueiovpo?, curtailed, 

 from the short tail.) 



Ophichthijg miurus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1882, 357, Cape San Lucas. 



(Type, No. 2304. Coll. Xantus.) 

 Mystriophis miurus, JORDAN & DAVIS, 7. c., 636. 



186. BRACHYSOMOPHIS, Kaup. 



Brachysomophis, KAUP, Apodes, 9, 1856, (horridus). 



1 Achirophichthys, BLEEKER, Poissons Ined. Murenes, Ned. Tijdschr. Dierk., n, 42, (typus young). 



* Possibly more than one species is here included. Schneideri is said to have the vomerine teeth 

 biseriul, while in "punctifer" (mordax) they are triserial. In the true intertinclus the teeth are 

 biserial in front and uniserial behind, while in sugillotns the vomerine teeth are said to be unise- 

 rial. In sag Hiatus, the pectoral is said to be longer than in interlinclw, as long as eye and snout. 

 Our specimens have the teoth biserial or partly triserial in front. Probably all belong to one 

 species. If two species exist they may stand as intertinclus and punctifer. 



