FAMILY, III— SCOMBRESOCID^. 509 



Family, III— SCOMBRESOCID^. 



Pharyngognathi malacopterygU, Miiller. 



Paeudobranchiae concealed, glandular. Margin of the upper jaw formed, mesially by the pre- 

 maxillaries, laterally by the mazillaries. Barbels present or absent. Lower pharyngeals united into a single 

 bone. Dorsal fin rayed, with or without finlets posterior to it, situated opposite the anal, and in the caudal 

 portion of the vertebral column : no adipose dorsal. Scales present, frequently a keeled row along either side 

 of the free portion of the tail. Air-vessel generally present, sometimes cellular, and destitute of a pneumatic 

 duet. Stomach and intestines in one straight undivided tube. Pyloric appendages absent. 



SYNOPSIS OF GENERA. 



1. Belone. Both jaws elongated into a beak. No finlets. 



2. Hemwhamphus. Upper jaw short, the lower elongated into a beak. 



3. Exoecetus. Jaws shoi^ : pectoral fins elongated into organs for flying. 



Genus, 1 — Belong, Ov/vier. 

 Mastacembelus, (Klein), Bleeker : Bhamphistoma, Raf. : Tylosurus, Cocco : Totwmorrha/phis, Giinther. 



Brcmohiostegals rather numerous. Gill-openings wide. Body elongated, sub-cylindrical or com/pressed. Eyes 

 lateral. The ja/ws prolonged into a beak, the upper of which is formed by the premascillaries. Fine teeth, or 

 rugosities in both jams, viith a single row of long, tindely-set conical ones : palate toothed or toothless. The anterior 

 dorsal rays may or may not be elevated, forming a lobe to the fin, whilst the middle and posterior ones may be 

 short or elongated : no finlets : caudal usually forJced. Scales small. Lateral-line on free portion of tail, with or 

 loithout a heel. 



Uses. — These Gar-fish are but indifierent as food, whilst their bones are green, as observed in the 

 European forms. They are very destructive amongst young and small fishes. 



' In very young specimens the jaws are said not to be prolonged, and as age increases the mandibles are 

 considerably advanced before the premaxillaries. Distinct varieties appear to be present in some species, as 

 Belone candla, some of the inland forms of which have an elevation along the back. 



It has been observed that one might form Genera on some of the following characters : — on the 

 comparative lengths and formation of the dorsal and anal fins : or whether the caudal is truncated, rounded, or 

 forked : if the free portion of the tail is depressed : if a keel exists or is absent, 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1. Anterior dorsal rays elevated, forming a lobe, 

 a. Caudal forked. 



1. Belone meloAiostigma, D. 24-26, A. 26-27. Length of head 4| in the total. No teeth on vomer. From 

 one to seven dark blotches along the side. Red Sea, those of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



2. Belone ammdata, D. 22-24, A. 20-22. Length of head 3| in the total. Eyes 2^ in postorbital length 

 of the head. No vomerine teeth. Red Sea, those of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



3. Belone choram, D. 22-23, A. 19-20. Length of head 3i to 3i in the total. No teeth on vomer. Eye 

 equals half of postorbital length of the head. No vomerine teeth. Red Sea, those of India to the Malay Archi- 

 pelago. 



b. Ga/udal truncated or rowfided. 



4. Belone leimus, D. 19, A. 22-24. Length of head about 3 in the total. No teeth on vomer. Seas of 

 India to the Malay Archipelago. -,.-r n ii. 



5. Belone camcila, D. 15-18, A. 16-18. Length of head 2f to 2f in the total. No teeth on the vomer. 

 Fresh waters of Sind, India, Ceylon and Burma. -vr ^ j.t. j.i, 



6. Belone strongylmus, D. 13-15, A. 16-18. Length of head 2f to 3 in the total. No teeth on the 

 vomer. A black spol; on the caudal fin. Seas and coasts of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



1. Belone melanostigma. 

 (Ehrenb.) Cuv. and Val. xviii, p. 450; Giinther, Catal. vi, p. 241 ; Klunz. Verb. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1871, 



'Belone gracUis, Schlegel, Fauna Japon. Poiss. p. 246, t. 110, f. 1 ; Bleeker, Japan, 116 (not Lowe).- 



