326 ANACANTHINI. 



Family, II— OPHIDIID^, Midler. 



PseudobranchiaB present or absent. Body elongated. Gill-openings wide, and 

 the membranes not attached to the isthmus. Eyes of moderate size, rudimentary 

 or absent. Barbels present or absent. Vertical fins usually confluent, without 

 any anterior dorsal or anal. The dorsal occupies the greater portion of the 

 length of the back. Ventrals, when present, rudimentary and jugular. Scales 

 and air-bladder present or absent. The vent may be at the throat. Pyloric 

 appendages, if present, in small numbers. 



Geographical distribution. — Mostly deep sea and cosmopolitan forms, but some 

 are littoral, and one at least has been found in the waters of the subterranean caves 

 in Cuba. 



First Group. — Ophidiidse. 



Ventral fins in the form of a pair of bifid filaments inserted below the 

 throat. 



Genus I — Ophiditjm (Artedi), Guvier. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobranchice present. Body elongated and compressed. 

 YUliform or cardiform teeth in the jaws, vomer, and palatine bones. Gill-openings 

 wide: gills four. Dorsal, caudal, and anal fins loiv and continuous: ventral in 

 the form of a pair of bifid filaments inserted below the throat. Vent situated 

 considerably posterior to the insertion of the pectoral fin. Scales small, covering the 

 body. Air-bladder present. Pyloric appendages absent. 



Geographical distribution. — Littoral species, distributed through the Atlantic 

 and Pacific Oceans, also the Mediterranean. 



1. Ophidium barbatum, Plate XCI, fig. 1. 



Ophidium, Plin: iii, cap. 9, 11 ; Rondel, xiv, c. 2, p. 397 ; Gesner, pp. 91, 104; 

 Aldrov. iii, c. 26, p. 353. Grillus, Belon. De Aquat. pp. 132, 133. Ophidion, 

 no. 1, Artedi, Synon. p. 42. Enchelyopus, no. 4, Klein, Pise. Miss, iv, p. 52. 



Ophidium barbatum, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 431 ; Brouss. Phil. Trans. 1781, 

 p. 436, t. xxiii ; Bonnat. Atl, Ich. p. 40, pi, xxvi, f. 89 ; Shaw, Zool. iv, p. 68, 

 pi. vii ; Briinn. Ich. Mass. p. 15 ; Bloch, t. clix, f. 1 ; Lacep. ii, p. 279 ; Bl. Schn. 

 p. 484 ; De la Roche, Ann. Mus. xiv, p. 275 ; Turton, Brit. Fauna, p. 88 ; Cuv. 

 Regne Anim. ; Plem. Brit. Anim. p. 201 ; Risso, Ich. Nice, p. 96 and Hist. Nat. 

 Eur. Merid. iii, p. 211 ; Muller, Abdh. Berl. Acad. 1843, p. 151, pi. iv, f. 1 (air- 

 bladder) ; Jenyns, Manual, p. 481 ; Yarrell, Brit. Pish, (Ed. 1) ii, p. 316, c. fig. 

 (Ed. 2) ii, p. 415 (Ed. 3) i, p. 76 ; Swainson, Fish, ii, p. 260 ; Costa, Fauna Nap. 

 var. b, pi. xx ; White, Catal. p. 50 ; Kaup, Apodal Fish. p. 155 ; Steind. Ich. 

 Span. u. Port. 1868, p. 46 ; Gunther, Catal. iv, p. 377 ; Giglioli, Pesc. Ital. p. 37; 

 Moreau, Poiss. France, iii, p. 223, c. fig. 



Enchelyopus barbatus, Klein, MSS. Pise, iv, p. 52. 



Ophidium vassali, Risso, Ich. Nice, p. 97 ; pi. v, f. 12, and Hist. Nat. iii, p. 212 ; 

 Cuvier, Regne Anim. 111. ; Guichenot, Expl. Alger, p. 115 ; Muller, i.e. p. 150, 

 t. iv, f. 5 (air-bladder) ; Kaup, Apodal Fish. p. 115 ; Gunther, I.e. p. 378 ; Canestr. 

 Fauna Ital. p. 190 ; Steind. I.e. ; Giglioli, I.e. p. 37 ; Moreau, I.e. p. 224. 



