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DAPTINUS, Cope. 



This genus was proposed for Saurocephalus phlebotomus, Cope. The form 

 of the crowns of the teeth is that of Saurocephalus and Erisichthc ; but it 

 differs from the latter in their perfect equality of size. It differs from the 

 former in the position of the nutritious foramina of the inner side of the 

 dentary bone; for, instead of forming an isolated series, as in that genus, they 

 only appear as notches on the inner margins of the alveoli. 



The mode of articulation of the premaxillary and maxillary bones with 

 each other and with the prefrontals is similar to that already described in 

 the genus Portheus. The maxillary underlaps the premaxillary on its inner 

 face, forming a very extensive squamosal suture, and presents the two superior 

 condyles, the anterior for the ethmoid, the posterior for the palatine bones. 

 The palatine presents the malleolar segment which connects the maxillary 

 and prefrontal articular faces, and then continues downward and backward, 

 as a vertical lamina, without teeth on its free margin. Immediately in front 

 of each of these bones is a triangular element, compressed, with an acute 

 apex upward and truncate base downward, the posterior border in contact 

 with the anterior edge of the palatine. The vomer is toothless. 



The anterior vertebra? present pits for the neurapophyses, but no others, 

 as far as the third. On the fourth and subsequent centra, there is a deep 

 lateral pit, and a smaller one above and behind it, near, and a little posterior 

 to the neurapophysial pit. 



The teeth in Daptinus are not a little like those of the existing genus 

 Pomatomus, which includes the bluefish. 



Daptinus phlebotomus, Cope. 



Represented by all the tooth-bearing elements of three individuals, from 

 distinct localities, with portions of crania and vertebra?. These show that 

 the jaws are long and slender, and that the teeth are closely set, and with 

 the roots but little compressed; while the crowns are very much so. Eight 

 alveola? may be counted in fourteen millimeters. The dentary bones have a 

 vertical and transverse truncation at the symphysis, anil are thickened so as 

 to afford strong attachment for something ; the absence of the usual obliquity 

 in the one or the other direction is noteworthy. The teeth continue to the 

 symphysis, but of slightly reduced size. The internal groove of the dentary 



