14 SCOMBEESOCID^. 



Suborder VI. SCOMBRESOCES. 



Air-bladder without pneumatic duct. Pectoral arcb suspended from 

 the skull ; mesocoracoid arch absent. Fins without spines, the ventrals, 

 if present, abdominal, or at least not connected with the scapular arch. 

 Anterior vertebras distinct, without Weberian ossicles. 



Two families : — 



Mouth not protractile ; lower pharyngeals completely 



united into a single bone ; branchiostogal rays 9 



or more 1. Scombresocidcc, p. 14. 



Mouth protractile ; lower pharyngeals distinct, or, 



it' united, with the median suture persistent ; 



branchiostegal rays 6 or less 2. Cyprinodontidm, p. 17. 



Fam. 1. SCOMBRESOCIME. 



Mouth not protractile, the maxillaries bordering the mouth at least to 

 a slight extent. Supraoccipital in contact with the frontals. Lower 

 pharyngeals completely united into a single bone, without a trace of 

 median suture ; branchiostegal rays 9 to 15. Preecaudal vertebrae with 

 strong parapophyses, bearing the ribs and the epipleurals. Ventral 

 fins with 6 rays. 



Of almost cosmopolitan distribution and mostly marine. 



Two genera have representatives in the fresh waters of Africa. 



1. HEMIRHAMPHUS. 



Cuv. Eegne Auim. ii. p. 186 (1817) ; Cuv. & Val. Hist. Poiss. six. p. 1 (1846), 

 part.; Gunth, Oat. Fish. vi. p. 259 (1866), part.; Bleek. Atlas Ichth. vi. 

 p. 52 (1866). 



Hyporhamplms, Gill, Proc. Ac. Pliilad. 1859, p. 131, and 1863, p. 272. 



Lower jaw prolonged into along slender beak *, upper short, vertically 

 movable, forming a triangular plate ; both jaws with a narrow band of 

 minute teeth. Head flat above. Body elongate, feebly compressed ; 

 covered with moderate or rather large smooth scales ; lateral line close 

 to the lower outline of body. Dorsal fin much longer than anal, behind 

 the ventrals, which are inserted very far back. Pectoral inserted high 

 up. Caudal fin forked. Vertebras 34-3S + 15-1S. 



Seas of the tropical and warm parts of the world, a few species 

 entering fresh waters. 



* Except in very young specimens. 



