256 Berycoidei 
occurs at Honolulu. Holotrachys lima is a small, brick-red fish 
with small very rough scales found throughout Polynesia. 
Fossil species of Holocentrus, Myripristis, and related extinct 
genera occur in the Eocene and Miocene. Holocentrus macro- 
cephalus, from Monte Bolca Eocene, is one of the best known. 
Myricanthus leptacanthus from the same region, has very slender 
spines in the fins. 
The Polymixiide.—The family of Polymixiide, or barbudos, 
is one of the most interesting in Ichthyology from its bewilder- 
ing combination of characters belonging to different groups. 
With the general aspect of a Berycoid, the ventral rays I, 7, 
Fic. 205.—Pine-cone Fish, Monocentris japonicus (Houttuyn). Waka, Japan. 
and the single dorsal fin with a few spines, Polymixia has the 
scales rather smooth and at the chin are two long barbels which 
look remarkably like those of the family of Mullide or Sur- 
mullets. As in the Mullide, there are but four branchiostegals. 
In other regards the two groups seem to have little in common. 
According to Starks, the specialized feelers at the chin are 
different in structure and must have been independently 
developed in the two groups. In Polymixia, each barbel is 
suspended from the hypohyal; three rudimentary branchioste- 
gals forming its thickened base. In Mullus, each barbel is sus- 
pended from the trip of a slender projection of the ceratohyal, 
having no connection with the branchiostegals. Polymixia pos- 
