Apodal Fishes of Bengal. 173 



1. Gen. Leptognathus, Swainson. 



Pectoral fins conspicuous, jaws prolonged, attenuated and 

 pointed, armed with sharp scattered teeth. Dorsal and anal 

 expand towards the tail, where they terminate. 



2. Gen. Ophisurus, Lacep. 



Body little compressed ; rostrum conical ; upper-jaw long- 

 er than the lower, anterior aperture of the nostrils tubular ; 

 teeth round, mammillary and blunt, disposed in three broad 

 bands above, and two on the lower-jaw. 



3. Gen. Ophithorax, J. M. 



Pectoral fins very small, so as to be scarcely perceptible ; 

 body compressed. 



III. — Family ', Mur^enid^e, J. M. 



Have no trace of pectoral fins ; the head is short, narrow 

 and small ; the palatines form a narrow arch behind the 

 vomer, in which there is sometimes but a single row of teeth. 

 The tail is long. 



1. Gen. Dalophis, Rafin. 



Dorsal and anal terminate before they reach the end of 

 the tail, which is naked. Upper-jaw much longer than the 

 lower ; the eyes are placed near the muzzle, which is narrow. 



2. Gen. Murana, Prop. J. M. 



The dorsal commences behind the branchial apertures ; 

 there is a single row of teeth on each jaw, together with 

 a row on the palate. Tail compressed. 



Some have the palate smooth. 



3. Lycodontis, J. M. 



Dorsal commencing before the branchial apertures. Tail 

 compressed. They have a single row of teeth on the palate, 



