SICYOPTERUS 301 



long convex or nearly perpendicular, obtusely rounded snout, 

 thick upper lip, and an inferior mouth, very low down and usually 

 nearly horizontal. The body densely covered with rather small 

 ctenoid scales, 50 to 85 in a longitudinal series, which extend 

 forward on nape nearly to eyes, and back upon caudal fin and 

 basal part of pectoral; the head naked except for those on 

 nape; the scales may be of nearly uniform size, or those on 

 middle of trunk may be larger to much larger than those an- 

 teriorly and on caudal peduncle, or those on belly and neck may 

 be smaller to much smaller than the rest, which are of about 

 equal size. 



The upper lip may be (a) entire, (b) with a median more or 

 less linear cleft, (c) with a median and two lateral clefts each 

 halfway to angle of mouth and about opposite eye, or (d) with 

 the whole lip crenulate-dentate and with two small lateral clefts 

 nearer angle of mouth than middle of lip. The lateral clefts 

 in (c) are shaped like a sac, or alveolus, with a narrow mouth 

 and rounded subcircular margin; the inner margin of upper 

 lip may be entire, rugose, or covered with tubercles or papillae; 

 in Philippine species with (b) and (c) types of cleft lips the 

 median fissure has a long conspicuous papilla beneath it, and 

 stouter shorter papillae or large tubercles beneath the lateral 

 clefts. The lower lip has a row of slender, more or less pointed, 

 horizontal teeth, their tips alone visible as a rule; behind sym- 

 physis of lower jaw is a pair of large, stout, recurved canines; 

 on each side is a row of four to eight curved teeth, more or less 

 enlarged, the middle ones usually small, the posterior ones 

 usually rather large. 



The dorsals are well separated, VI (V or VII), 1-10 or 12, 

 the spines of first dorsal elongate in many species, often exces- 

 sively so, their tips free and threadlike or the fin membrane 

 carried to the tips of the elongate spines ; the second dorsal and 

 anal moderate or low, angulate posteriorly; the caudal rounded, 

 longer or shorter than head. The ventrals very characteristic, 

 forming a short, thick, semicircular, powerful sucking cup, in 

 many species broader than long, more or less adherent to belly, 

 the frenum thick. The gill openings of moderate width, not 

 extended forward, the isthmus broad; branchiostegals 4; no air 

 bladder. 



In Grant's paper, which is apparently the only general study 

 ever made of the group, twenty-four species are described under 



