1 86 Apodal Fishes of Bengal. 



commences in front of the branchial apertures ; the front of 

 each jaw is armed with long sharp articulated teeth, attached 

 to a flexible pedicle ; they are capable of being retracted or 

 raised according to circumstances. 



Synodontis, Cuv. among the Siluridse, is the only example known in the 

 animal kingdom, in which the teeth are fixed to a flexible pedicle. It 

 may be presumed therefore, that this peculiarity in the Mursenidse has 

 never been pointed out. Buchanan, the only author who seems to 

 have examined the Indian species of this family, overlooked altogether 

 the peculiarity of their dentition. , 



Another peculiarity consists in the malar, nasal, and palatines being 

 consolidated with the vomer, forming the anterior part of the upper 

 jaw, from which the maxillaries and intermaxillaries are displaced, so 

 as to form the sides, rather than the front, of the mouth. Here they 

 give insertion to two rows of teeth, corresponding with those of the 

 palatine bones in all other genera. 



1. LYCODONTIS LITER ATA. PL vii. Jig. 2. 



The head is compressed and narrow, raised abruptly over the eyes. 



The body is long and compressed, of uniform depth, and slender for its 

 length. 



Colour, olive-green above, and all except the head uniformly marked 

 with fine white irregular streaks, resembling a written .character. The 

 dorsal fin commences in front of the branchial apertures, the anal com- 

 mences at the middle of the body. 



The jaws are narrow, of equal length and widely cleft, having two 

 rows of teeth on the sides, the outer row terminating on either side 

 below the eyes, the inner row is continued round the apex of the jaw at 

 wider intervals, and together with three prominent hooked teeth, corres- 

 ponding with those of the vomer near the apex, are retractile. 



There are 121 vertebrae, 334 rays in the dorsal, and 182 in the 

 anal fin. 



Hab. — Bengal. It is a common fish in the Calcutta market. 



This species is usually met with about 12 to 18 inches in 

 length. 



