384 srLUlMDX 



anal fins short, tlie former consisting of a spine and 6 or 7 branched 

 rays; a small adipose fin. Pectoral fin with a spine. Ventral fin with 

 6 rays, inserted behind the vertical of the dorsal fin. Three pairs of 

 barbels : maxillary and two mandibulars. Nostrils close together. 

 Eyes lateral or supero-lateral, with free border. Maxillary bone 

 rudimentary ; jaws with a band of villiform teeth ; teeth on the 

 pterygoids, none on the vomer *. Gill-membranes narrowly attached 

 to isthmus, not notched, forming a continuous transverse fold. 



Vertebrae 48-58 (22-29 + 27-33). Branchiostegal rays 5 or 6. 



Tropical Seas ; a few species in fresh waters, or entering rivers. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Teeth on palate villiform. 



A. Maxillary barbel not reaching extremity of pectoral ^pine. 

 Teeth on palate in two very large groups, con- 

 sisting of an anterior transverse portion 



narrowly separated from its fellow on the 



median line, and a posterior triangular 



portion which is longer than broad ; 



occipital process bro;i(Jer at base than 



long 1. .1. latibcittatii,^. G:hr., [>. '.\'^f>. 



Teeth on pahite In two large triangular gron})s, 



very narrowly separated on the jnedian 



line ; occipital process broader at base 



than long 2. yl. /////((.«, Blgr., p. 3SC). 



Teeth on palate in two rather small, widely 



separated, oval or subtriangular gron[)S ; 



occipital {)rocess as long as broad at base . ."). A. hendelofl, ('. & Y.. [>. l\S7. 



13. Maxillary barbel renching beyond pec- 

 toral spine ; teeth on palate in two 



irre<2;ularly oval groups ;. occipital [p. H8S. 



process as long as broad at base . . 4. A. madagascanensis, Vail!., 



II. Teeth on palate granular. 



Two groups of teeth on each side of palate, 



anterior small and rounded, ])osterior large 



and triangular 5. .1. lirkil, Gthr., p. 381b 



A large subtriangular grou[) of teeth on each 



side of palate 6. A. afiicamts, Gthr., p. 380. 



* The teeth on the palate have been deacribed, in the African species, as vomerine and 

 palatine, but the bones that support them are the eutopterygoids (or entopterygoids + 

 ectopterygoid.s). 



