12Q The Philippine Journal of Science 1923 



Undoubtedly occurs in the Philippines in the fresh-water 

 streams and rice paddies of the larger islands. 

 SYNBRANCHIDiE 



General characters as in the Monopteridse, but differing in 

 some important particulars. 



Instead of three, there are four branchial arches, bearing 

 well-developed gills with wide slits between them, while the gill 

 membranes are free from the isthmus. There are six bran- 

 chiostegals. Teeth of maxillaries, vomer, and palatine in one 

 to several rows, those of the vomer-palatine region in an arched 

 band. There is no accessory breathing sac. Eye is small, 

 covered by skin. The dorsal and anal are reduced to rayless 

 folds of skin. 



Genus SYNBRANCHUS Bloch 



Synbranchus Bloch, Naturgesch. der Ausl. Fische 9 (1795) 86; 

 Weber and Beaufort, Fishes Indo-Austr. Arch. 3 (1916) 415. 

 Characters of the genus included above. Occurring through- 

 out the rainy tropics, in both fresh and brackish water. 

 Synbranchus bengalensis (McClelland). 



Ophisternon bengalensis McClelland, Apod. Fishes Bengal, Calcutta 



Journ. Nat. Hist. 5 (1845) 197, 200, pi. 2, figs. 1 and 2. 

 Synbranchus bengalensis Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. Mursen. 4 (1864) 119, 

 pi. 48, fig. 1; Weber and Beaufort, Fishes Indo-Austr. 3 (1916) 

 416, fig. 213. 

 Synbranchus bengalensis Gunther, Cat. Fishes Brit. Mus. 8 (1870) 

 16; Day, Fishes of India (1878-88) pi. 167, fig. 2. 

 Depth a little over 21 to 30 in total length, head 8.75 to almost 

 12; tail 3.25 to a little more than 4 in total length, and not 

 "nearly 4 times in head and trunk" as stated by Weber and 

 Beaufort; eye small, near tip of snout, and 15 to more than 20 

 in length of head; mouth oblique, 3 to 3.5 in head, with lips 

 folded back over both jaws, not merely the lower one as stated by 

 authors ; snout short, blunt, about one-third the cleft of mouth ; 

 posterior nostrils small oval to circular openings on top of head 

 and back of pupil of eye ; anterior nostrils minute openings in tip 

 of snout; fins usually low and inconspicuous, the dorsal com- 

 mencing slightly in advance of the gill opening; lateral line 

 conspicuous. 



The cylindrical body elongate and snakelike, with anal open- 

 ing very far back ; tail strongly compressed, tapering, and short. 



