pUistts. 3 



Suborder II. H Y P O T R E M I. 



Gill-openings ventral, below the base of the pectoral fin. 



Fam. 1. PRISTID^. 



Mouth inferior. Snout produced into a long flat lamina armed with 

 a series of strong teeth along each edge. No nictitating membrane ; 

 spiracles present, large ; 5 gill-openings. Body moderately depressed, 

 elongate. Two dorsal fins, no anal; caudal of the heterocercal type. 



1. PRISTIS. 



Latham, Tr. Linn. Soc. ii. 1794, p. 276 ; Mull. & Henle, Plagiost. p. 10.5 (1841) ; 

 A. Dum. Hist. Poiss. i. p. 471 (1865) ; Gunth. Cat. Fish. viii. p. 436 (1870). 



Mouth transverse, nearly straight ; teeth minute, obtuse, pavement- 

 like. First dorsal fin opposite or close to the base of the ventrals. 



Seas of the temperate and tropical regions, some species ascending 

 rivers. 



1. PRISTIS PERROTETI. 



Miill. & Henle, t. c. p. 108 ; A. Dum. t. c. p. 474 ; Peters, Raise Mossamb. iv. p. 9 

 (1868) ; Giinth. t. c. p. 436 ; Day, Fish. Ind. p. 729, pi. cxci. fig. 1 (1878). 



17-21 pairs of rostral teeth, not trenchant behind, and distant from 

 one another. First dorsal originating in advance of ventrals, second not 



rig. 2. 



Prints perroteti. 

 Indian Ocean, after Day (I'isli. Ind.). \. 



much smaller. Root of pectoral in advance of first gill-opening. A 

 small lower caudal lobe. Uniform greyish. Reaches a length of 



3 metres. 



b2 



