TEUTHIDIDjE. 



419 



loped ; anal with, seven spines. Ventral fins tlioracic, luith an 

 outer and an inner spine, and with three soft rays hetioeen. 



This family consists of one very natural genus, Teuthis, 

 readily recognised by the singular structure of the fins. In 

 all the species the fin-formula is D. \^. A. ^. The inci- 

 sors are small, narrow, and provided with a serrated edge. 

 The air-bladder is large, and forked anteriorly as well as 

 posteriorly. Their skeleton shows several peculiarities : the 

 number of vertebrse is twenty-three, ten of which belong to 



Fig. 182. — Teuthis nebulosa, Indian Ocean. 



the abdomiaal portion. The abdominal cavity is surrotinded 

 by a complete ring of bones, the second piece of the coracoid 

 being exceedingly long, and extending along the whole length 

 of the abdomen, where it is joined to a spinous process of the 

 first interhsemal. The pubic bones are slender, long, firmly 

 attached to each other, without leaving a free space between 

 them. They are fastened by a long process which passes the 

 symphysis of the radii, and extends on to that of the humeri. 

 Thirty species are known, aU from the Indo-Pacific ; but 

 they do not extend eastwards beyond 140° long., or to the 

 Sandwich Islands. They are herbivorous, and do not exceed 

 a length of fifteen inches. 



Second Division — Acanthopterygii Beeycifoemes. 

 Body compressed, • ohlong, or elevated ; head with large 



