168 



■i. On Nemophis, a New Genus of Riband-shaped Fishes. 

 By Dr. J. Kaup. 



In the collection at the Museum of Natural History in Paris I 

 found, some years ago, when I was describing the order of Eels, this 

 interesting genus, in which the form and function of the canine teeth 

 are extremely remarkable. 



Two specimens of this rare fish were received at the Museum, from 

 MM. Lesson and Garnot, without any note : as they were obtained 

 in the expedition of M. Duperrey, I presume they were captured in 

 the South Sea. 



One of the specimens being in a half-spoiled condition, I was en- 

 abled, but in this specimen only, to observe the paradoxical arrange- 

 ment and formation of the canine teeth. 



After the smallness of the mouth, no one would have expected to 

 find at the end of the small incisors such large slightly-curved canine 

 teeth in the lower jaw. These canine teeth pass through a canal in 

 the flesh round the eye, and have an opening near the eye. These 

 teeth, which cannot be used as true canine teeth on account of the 

 smallness of the mouth, have certainly only the function of fixing 

 and giving the lower jaw a certain direction. 



I call this paradoxical form 



Nemophis. 

 Without ventral fins. Mouth small ; upper and lower jaw with 

 minute incisors. Small canine teeth in the upper jaw, longer and 

 curved ones in the lower jaw, which are placed, when the mouth is 

 closed, in a canal going round the eyes and opened on the surface near 

 the eyes. Eyes large. Cavity of the gills with a small round opening 

 placed very high. The dorsal fin commences near the eyes, and is 

 connected with the caudal and anal as in the Eels. Pectoral fin de- 

 veloped. Anus at the end of the first eighth of the total length. 



Nemophis Lessoni, Kp. 



It has a length of 255 mm. or 9 Par. inches. Colour silver-white, 

 with black points on the head and end of the tail. Dorsal and anal 

 fins blackish. 



