CHAP. XX.] FISHES. 455 



Family 82.— XOTOPTERID.E. (1 Genus, 5 Species.; 



" Fresh-water fishes, without barbels, head and body scaly, 

 long tapering tail, and short posterior dorsal fin." 



Distribution. — Rivers of India, Siam, the Sunda Islands, and 

 West Africa. 



Family 83.— HALOSAURIDtE. (1 Genus, 1 Species.) 



" Marine fishes, with cycloid scales, a short median dorsal fin, 

 and no barbels." 



Distribution. — Deep waters of the Atlantic, Madeu^a. 



Family 84— GYMNOTID.E. (5 Genera, 20 Species.) 



" Fresh- water fishes, with elongate bodies, pointed tail, and no 

 dorsal fin." 



Distribution. — Tropical America from Trinidad to the River 

 Parana. 



The genera are distributed as follows : — 



Stcrnarchus (8 sp.), Guiana and Brazil ; Rhamphichthys 

 (G sp.), Guiana and Brazil ; Sternophygus (4 sp.). Tropical 

 America ; Carajms (1 sp.), Trinidad to Brazil ; Gymnotus, (1 sp. 

 — the Electric eel), Tropical South America. 



Family 85.— SYMBRANCHID^. {4 Genera, 6 Species.) 



" Marine and fresh-water fishes, having elongate bodies without 

 fins, and very minute scales or none." 



Distribution. — Fresh waters and coasts of Western Australia 

 and Tasmania. 



The genera are : — 



AoniJhipnous (1 sp.), Bengal; Monopterus (1 sp.), Siam to 

 Northern China and Sunda Islands ; Symhranchus (3 sp.). Tropical 



