Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 389 



family. The remaining species are referable to ten or twelve genera, 

 most of which are found in America. About 120 species are known. 

 The Muramidas without fins are the simplest in structure, but their char- 

 acters are those of degradation, and they are farther from the primitive 

 stock than such genera as Mnrffina or Enclielycore. 



(Mur;on<1;r Kii</!/>-hislge t GtfNTHER Cat., vni, 93-136; order C'olocephali, COPE, Trans. Amer. Phil. 

 Soc., 1870, 456.) 



o. Vertical fins well developed, the dorsal beginning before the vent. 



b. Posterior nostril an oblong slit ; anterior in a short tube ; teeth all pointed ; dorsal 

 beginning above the gill opening ; canine teeth strong ; tail moderate! 



ENCHELYCOHE, 187. 

 bb. Posterior nostril circular, with or without tube; tail moderate, not twice as long as 



trunk ; body not excessively elongate, 

 c. Teeth all, or nearly all, acute, none of those in the jaws obtuse or molar-like. 



d. Anterior nostrils without tube ; vomerine teeth in many series ; lips with a 



free fold. PYTHONICHTHYS, 188. 



dd. Anterior nostrils each with a long tube ; vomerine teeth in one or two series ; 



lips continuous with skin of head. 



e. Posterior nostrils without tube, the margin sometimes slightly raised. 

 /. Dorsal fin inserted behind the head, over or behind the gill opening. 



RABULA, 189. 

 ff. Dorsal fin inserted on the head, considerably before gill opening. 



LYCODONTIS, 190. 

 ee. Posterior nostrils as well as anterior each in a conspicuous tube. 



MUR^NA, 191. 



cc. Teeth mostly obtuse, molar-like ; only anterior nostrils tubular ; cleft of mouth 

 rather short ; dorsal beginning before the gill opening. ECHIDNA, 192. 



Vertical fins rudimentary, confined to the end of the tail (often appreciable only on dissec- 

 tion, or altogether wanting) ; teeth rather small, pointed, subequal, in several series; 

 posterior nostril round, with a short tube, or none. 



g. Cleft of the mouth short, not half length of head ; snout moderate, about half the gape ; 



tail about as long as trunk. UROPTERYQIUS, 193. 



gg. Cleft of the mouth long, nearly half head ; snout very short, less than one-fourth the 



gape ; tail very short, about half rest of body. CHANNOMUR^INA, 194. 



187. ENCHELYCORE, Kaup. 



Enchelycore, KAUP, Apodes, 72, 1856, (euryrhina). 



Posterior nostril an oblong slit, otherwise essentially as in Lycodontis. 

 One species known, (ey^e^-uf , eel ; Koprj, girl ; the application not evident.) 



638. ENCHELYCORE NIGRICANS (Bonnaterre). 



Snout narrow, rather produced, 2f in gape ; the jaws cannot be shut in 

 adult examples. Teeth of upper jaw biserial, the inner series of very long 

 and slender depressible canines ; long canines not movable in front of each 

 jaw ; lateral teeth of lower jaw slender, subequal, sharp, and recurved; 

 vomerine teeth small, uniserial, developed posteriorly ; eye moderate, 2 

 in snout; gape 2 in head ; dorsal beginning above the gill openipg; tail 

 slightly longer than rest of body ; head 3 to 3i in trunk. Uniform black 

 or dark brown, sometimes faintly marbled with darker ; angle of mouth 

 slightly darker ; gill opening pale. West Indies, rather common, (nigri- 

 cans, blackish.) 



Mnnrna unicolor maxillis elongatus teretiusculis, inferiore longiore, etc., GRONOW, Zoophy., 1, 163, 

 17G3, South America. 



