408 The Scyphophori, Haplomi, and Xenomi 
The best-known genus of Scyphophort is Mormyrus. Species 
of this genus found in the Nile were worshiped as sacred by 
the ancient Egyptians and pictures of Mormyrus are often 
seen among the emblematic inscriptions. The Egyptians did not 
eat the Mormyrus because with two other fishes it was accused 
of having devoured a limb from the body of Osiris, so that Isis 
was unable to recover it when she gathered the scattered re- 
mains of her husband. 
In Mormyrus the bones of the head are covered by skin, 
the snout is more or less elongated, and the tail is generally 
short and insignificant. One of the most characteristically 
eccentric species is Guathonemus curvtrostris, lately discovered 
by Dr. Boulenger from the Congo. Fossil Mormyride are un- 
known. 
The Haplomi.—In the groups called Imiom: and Lyopomt, 
the mesocoracoid arch is imperfect or wanting, a condition 
Fig. 318.—Gnathonemus curvirostris Boulenger. Family Mormyride. Congo 
River. (After Boulenger.) : 
which in some cases may be due to the degeneration produced by 
deep-sea life. In the eels a similar condition obtains. In the group 
called Haplomi (amhoos, simple; os, shoulder), as in all the 
groups of fishes yet to be discussed, this arch is wholly wanting at 
all stages of development. In common with the Isospondyli and 
with soft-rayed fishes in general the air-bladder has a persistent 
air-duct, all the fins are without true spines, the ventral fins 
are abdominal, and the scales are cycloid. The group is a 
transitional one, lying almost equidistant between the J sospondylt 
and the Acanthopterygii. Gill unites it with the latter and 
Woodward with the former. We may regard it for the present 
