Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 761 



HtPPOOAMPIN.T-: : 



(( !, Tail prehensile; caudal fiu small; head shaped like that of a horse, placed at a large angle 



with axis of body; egg pouch at base: of tail. 



g. Body compressed; occiput with a narrow bony crest, surmounted by a coronet; shields 

 with tubercles or spiues. HIPPOCAMPUS, 348. 



344. SIPHOSTOMA,* Rafinesque. 



RAFINESQUE, Caratteri Nuovi Generi, 18, 1810, (pelagicus). 

 Syngiialhm, SWAINSON, Xat. "Hist. Class'n. Aiiim., n, 1839, 332, (OCMS), and of writers generally; 



not of LINNJKUS, as first restricted by RAFINESQUE. 

 lluliranqms, KAUP, Lophobranchii, 22, 185G, (grayi). 

 Trachyrhamphux, KAUP, Lophobr., 23, 1856, (serratw). 

 (,'orylhroichtJiyfi, KAUP, Lophobr., 25, 1856, (albirostris). 

 Dertnatostethus, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1862, 283, (punctipinnis). 



Body elongate, very slender, 6 or 7 angled, not compressed, tapering 

 into a very long tail ; the dorsal keels of the trunk not continuous with 

 those of the tail. Head slender, tapering into a long, tube-like, subterete 

 snout, which bears the very short, toothless jaws at the end. Humeral 

 bones firmly united with the " breast ring." Body covered with a series 

 of bony, keeled, radiated plates, arranged in linear series. Dorsal fin 

 distinct, rather short, inserted before or opposite the vent, which is 

 near the middle of the body ; caudal fin present, rather small ; anal fin 

 minute, close behind vent : pectorals developed, short and rather broad. 

 Male fishes with an egg pouch along the under side of the tail, formed by 

 two cutaneous folds, and splitting lengthwise to release the young fishes. 

 Species very numerous, inhabiting all warm seas ; abounding in bays 

 among the seaweeds, and entering the rivers. The females in most 

 species are deeper than the males, with more robust trunk, with longer 

 snout, and a more distinct ventral keel. (ai<j>uv, tube ; crofta, mouth.) 



a. Top of head with a slight carination or none; snout keeled or not; opercle without promi- 

 nent ridge; base of dorsal not elevated. 

 DERMATOSTETHUS (Sepjua, skin; cn-rjflo?, breast): 



b. Breast shields covered by soft skin; head not quite in a right line with axis of body; 

 dorsal 41; rings 19 -f- 39; body robust; snout moderate; tail twice as long as trunk; 

 head considerably keeled above. PUNCTIPINNE, 1110. 



bb. Breast shields not covered with skin; head about in line with axis of body. 

 SIPHOSTOMA: 

 c. Dorsal moderate or long, its first ray in advance of vent; snout moderate or long; 



angles of body generally prominent. 

 d. Dorsal covering 1 or 2 body rings. 

 e. Dorsal covering 9 caudal rings. 



* The genus Syngnathus of Linnaeus, originally equivalent to the modern family of Syngnathidse, 

 was first subdivided by Rafinesque in 1810. The name Siphostoma was given to S. pelagicus and. 

 its relatives, the Syngnathus of late writers, that of TipMe to S. typhle, the Siphonottnma of late 

 writers, while Syngnatltvs was retained fork irquorevs audits relatives, the group now usually 

 called Nerophin, the type of Kernphis being Syngnafhits ophidian, L. This arrangement has been 

 adopted here, but it is open to two objections besides the fact that it is contrary to the general 

 usage, which mak<>s unm the type of SpttgnaOuu, in accordanace with Swainson's arrangement. 

 These objections are, (1) that Artedi, from whom Linnaeus accepted the genus Syngnathus, did not 

 know of the existence of Bgngnatiau teqtioreiis, and (2) the statement of Linnaeus (which we have 

 been unable to verifiy), that the type of each of his genera is the "best known European or 

 officinal species." Symjnatltus ac?c.s would meet this requirement, but not Syngnathus sequoreus, 

 which had not then been found in Europe. Should these objections be found valid, Syngnathus 

 would take the place of Siphostoma, and Nerophis that of Syngnathus. 



