1316 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes, [Dec. 



FAM. SYMBRANCHOIDiE. 

 Gen. Symbran cnvs^Bloch-Schneider, 1801.) Cuvier, 1817. 



(Unibranchapertura, Lacepede, 1803. — Ophisternon,* 



McClelland, 1844.) 



Differs from Sphagebranchus-^ by the branchiae communicating out- 

 side by a single aperture, pierced under the throat and common to both 

 sides ; pectorals none ; vertical fins nearly entirely adipose ; head thick ; 

 muzzle rounded ; teeth obtuse ; opercles partly cartilaginous ; six strong 

 branchiostegous rays ; intestinal canal straight ; stomach distinguished 

 by its being a little wider, and by a pyloric valve ; cceca none ; air- 

 vessel long and narrow. J 



Symbranchus caligans, Cantor. 



Plate VII. Figs. 1, 2, 3. 

 Balut of the Malays. 

 (Young ?) Head above and back impure lake-coloured with livid 



* " Ophisternon :" (Scr. Ophiosternum.) " A single transverse opening 

 under the throat common to both branchiae. These consist of four pectinated combs 

 on each side. Two bands of teeth on the edges of the upper jaw, 5 short cartilagi- 

 nous branchial rays. Eyes small and placed on the muzzle, teeth disposed in bands 

 on the sides of the jaws." (McClelland: Calcutta Journal, Nat. Hist. V. 220.) 

 Of the preceding characters the following are erroneous : " two bands of teeth on 

 the edges of the upper jaw," and " 5 short cartilaginous branchial rays." The 

 upper jaw carries but a single band of teeth, and there are six branchiostegous, 

 bony rays on each side. After these errors have been corrected, it is evident that 

 Ophisternon, McClelland, is identical with Symbranchus. Mr. McClelland himself 

 quotes the diffinition of Symbranchus, Bloch, immediately preceding that of Ophi- 

 osternum (1. c. 175), yet, he observes : " their branchiae are not described further 

 than that the membrane contains six strong rays." (1. c. 157.) As Cuvier, however, 

 has confined his diffinition to the differential characters by which Symbranchus is 

 distinguishable from Sphagebranchus, the simple inference from his silence con- 

 cerning the branchiae is, that both genera have the same number (four) on each side. 



f Sphagebranchus (Bloch-Schneider 1801.) Cuvier, 1817. Differs from 

 Murcena principally by the branchial apertures approaching each other under the 

 throat ; the vertical fins in several species commence to project near the tail ; muzzle 

 extended and pointed ; stomach like a long cul-de-sac ; intestine straight ; air-vessel 

 long, narrow and placed far back. 



X The Asiatic species, quoted in the following, have no air-vessel. 



