Jordan and Ei>ermann. Fishes of North America. 775 



347. OSPHYOLAX, Cope. 



Osphyolaj; COPE, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pliila., 1875, 450, 



Pectoral fins wanting ; tail subcylindric. Body covered with thin, weakly 

 keeled scuta, which have on the lumbar region free superior edges, which 

 form a series of longitudinal lateral grooves. Lateral dorsal scutes pro- 

 duced upward, and approximated on the middle line, inclosing a tube 

 for a distance anterior to the dorsal fin. Dorsal fin short, above the 

 vent. No ventral nor caudal pouch ; caudal fin rudirnental. This genus 

 is related to Syngnatkut, but is different from known forms in its curious 

 dorsal tube. What the purpose of this can be is uncertain, but the strong 

 lateral channels below it on each side are probably an adaptation for the 

 carrying of the eggs. In the type species the dorsal tube is closed above 

 by a series of small radiate ossicles in the median line, between which 

 the cavity may be entered by small bodies. The same specimen displays 

 a narrow, free dermal membrane on the middle lines of the upper and 

 lower surfaces from the thoracic to the beginning of the lumbar region. 

 Open sea. (bativs, small of the back ; wAaf, a tube.) 



1189. OSPHYOLAX PELLUCIDUS, Cope. 



Head 11 in length ; snout 2 in head. Three longitudinal series of 

 scuta on each side of body, and one on middle line below. They are 

 rounded at the intersecting angles, thus leaving a vacancy, which is 

 covered by a small, round scale. Each scute with a low median keel, 

 from which delicate, transverse ridges diverge. The two lower lateral 

 series are the ones which form the lumbar grooves. Two nuchal scuta. 

 Parietal and frontal regions impressed, punctate ; operculum radiate ; sides 

 of muzzle smooth. Thirty-one transverse rows of scuta. Dorsal radii 

 sixteen. Length 9 inches ; tail equal to rest of body. Color pellucid, 

 the back tinged with brownish. (Cope.) Open Atlantic. Not seen by us. 

 (pellucidus, transparent.) 



Osphyolax pellucidus, COPE, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1875, 450, plate xxv, figs. 1 to 4, open 

 Atlantic Ocean. (Coll. Capt. J. Mortimer.) 



348. HIPPOCAMPUS,* Rafinesque. 

 (THE SEA-HORSES.) 



Hippocampus, RAFINESQUE, Indice d'lttiologia Siciliana, 37, 1810, (hippocampus). 

 Hippocampus, LEACH, Zool. Misc., 1814, 103, (hippocampus). 



* The following European species has been several times recorded from our coast, but prob- 

 ably either Hippocampus hiidsouins or H. punctulalus has been mistaken for it. 

 Hippocampus hippocampus (LiNX-iEUs) : 



Dorsal fin \vith 20 (19) rays. Tubercles generally well developed on the head and body, and 

 Biibacute, rarely blunt. Length of the snout equal to the distance between the hind margin of 

 the orbit and gill opening. Spines on the head and neck sometimes with simple filaments. 

 Brown, with bluish-white dots, more or less confluent into lines on the lower part of the side 

 and gill cover ; dorsal fin with a black fiubmarginal band. Coasts of southern Europe, north 

 to England; abundant in the Mediterranean. Brown, the sides profusely spotted with white, 

 the snout plain. 



Syngiiathus hippocampus, LINNJEUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. x, 1758, 338, open sea. 

 Hippocampus heptagonus, RAFINESQUE, I. c , 37, 1810. 



