﻿440 
  ACTINOPTEEYGJI. 
  

  

  Belonostomus 
  ornatus, 
  J. 
  Felix, 
  Palseontogr. 
  vol. 
  xxxvii. 
  (1891), 
  

   p. 
  192, 
  pi. 
  xxviii. 
  figs. 
  14-18, 
  pi. 
  xxx. 
  fig. 
  8. 
  — 
  Neocomian 
  ; 
  

   Dear 
  Tlaxiaco, 
  Mexico. 
  [Remains 
  of 
  head 
  and 
  scales 
  ; 
  

   Felix 
  Collection, 
  Leipzig.] 
  

  

  Belonostomus 
  pygmams, 
  T. 
  C. 
  Winkler, 
  Archiv. 
  Mus. 
  Teyler, 
  

   vol. 
  iii. 
  (1871), 
  p. 
  173, 
  pi. 
  v. 
  fig. 
  1. 
  — 
  Lower 
  Kimmeridgian 
  

   (Lithographic 
  Stone) 
  ; 
  Eichstadt, 
  Bavaria. 
  [Immature 
  

   fish 
  ; 
  Teyler 
  Museum, 
  Haarlem.] 
  

  

  The 
  fragment 
  of 
  vertebral 
  column 
  from 
  the 
  Cretaceous 
  of 
  Piet- 
  

   raroja, 
  in 
  the 
  University 
  of 
  Naples, 
  described 
  under 
  the 
  name 
  of 
  

   Ophirhachis 
  deperditus 
  by 
  0. 
  G. 
  Costa 
  (Ittiol. 
  Foss. 
  Ital. 
  1856, 
  

   p. 
  14, 
  pi. 
  ii. 
  fig. 
  4, 
  and 
  Atti 
  Accad. 
  Pontan. 
  vol. 
  viii. 
  1864, 
  p. 
  107, 
  

   pi. 
  ix. 
  fig. 
  4), 
  may 
  be 
  assigned 
  to 
  Belonostomus. 
  The 
  "jaw 
  of 
  

   Ophisurusl" 
  from 
  Pietraroja 
  (0. 
  G. 
  Costa, 
  ibid. 
  1864, 
  Append, 
  

   p. 
  126, 
  pi. 
  vi. 
  fig. 
  6) 
  is 
  also 
  probably 
  a 
  portion 
  of 
  mandible 
  of 
  the 
  

   same 
  genus. 
  The 
  so-called 
  PlatycerhyncJius 
  rhombeus, 
  0. 
  G. 
  Costa 
  

   (Atti 
  Accad. 
  Pontan. 
  vol. 
  viii. 
  1864, 
  p. 
  98, 
  pi. 
  xi. 
  fig. 
  3), 
  from 
  

   Pietraroja, 
  sometimes 
  placed 
  here, 
  is 
  based 
  upon 
  an 
  indeterminable 
  

   rostrum 
  in 
  the 
  University 
  of 
  Naples. 
  

  

  Family 
  LEPIDOSTEIDtE. 
  

  

  Head 
  and 
  trunk 
  much 
  elongated, 
  the 
  snout 
  produced, 
  and 
  the 
  

   abdominal 
  much 
  longer 
  than 
  the 
  caudal 
  region 
  ; 
  tail 
  abbreviate- 
  

   heteroeercal. 
  Cranial 
  and 
  facial 
  bones 
  robust 
  and 
  opercular 
  

   apparatus 
  complete, 
  all 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  ganoid; 
  mandibular 
  suspen- 
  

   sorium 
  inclined 
  forwards, 
  but 
  gape 
  of 
  mouth 
  wide 
  ; 
  no 
  presymphysial 
  

   bone 
  in 
  mandible 
  ; 
  teeth 
  slender, 
  conical. 
  Branchiostegal 
  rays 
  

   few. 
  Vertebral 
  centra 
  opisthocoelous. 
  Fins 
  small, 
  the 
  rays 
  

   branched 
  and 
  articulated 
  distally 
  ; 
  fulcra 
  large. 
  Scales 
  rhombic, 
  

   scarcely, 
  if 
  at 
  all, 
  deepened 
  on 
  the 
  flank. 
  

  

  Genus 
  L.EPIDOSTEUS, 
  Lacepede. 
  

  

  [Hist. 
  Nat. 
  Poiss. 
  vol. 
  v. 
  1803, 
  p. 
  331 
  (Lepisosteus, 
  misprint).] 
  

  

  Rostrum 
  slightly 
  produced 
  in 
  advance 
  of 
  the 
  mandibular 
  symphysis 
  ; 
  

   preoperculum 
  small 
  and 
  displaced 
  far 
  forwards, 
  the 
  suborbitals 
  

   much 
  divided, 
  and 
  the 
  cleft 
  of 
  the 
  mouth 
  entirely 
  in 
  advance 
  of 
  the 
  

   eye 
  ; 
  maxilla 
  divided 
  into 
  several 
  segments 
  ; 
  a 
  single 
  spaced 
  series 
  

   of 
  large 
  teeth 
  on 
  the 
  margin 
  of 
  the 
  jaw, 
  other 
  teeth 
  comparatively 
  

   minute 
  ; 
  branchiostegal 
  rays 
  spaced, 
  and 
  gular 
  plate 
  wanting. 
  

   Fulcra 
  biserial 
  on 
  all 
  the 
  fins. 
  Pelvic 
  fins 
  situated 
  about 
  midway 
  

  

  