SILURID.E. 



THE PIMELODIN^E. 



33$ 



of M. Cuvier's divisions (or sub-genera, as they are 

 termed) Pimelodus and Bagrus, — two artificial groups,, 

 which we have found it impossible to understand : to 

 us they appear to be common receptacles for all Siluri 

 having two dorsal fins. Commencing, then, our survey 

 with such Pimelodi as seem to have the greatest 

 affinity with the last sub-family, we may notice the 

 genus Synodontes, where the head is mailed as far as the 

 first dorsal fin; but the body is entirely naked ; the 

 muzzle is naked and unusually narrow ; while the 

 lower jaw is armed with numerous hooked flexible 

 teeth, of a structure altogether unique, as M. Cuvier 

 observes, among fishes : it would appear, however, that 

 this is not strictly the case, for the teeth of Hypostoma 

 etentaculum of Spix are similarly formed ; while they 

 are, no doubt, articulated or flexible at their roots, in 

 the same way as in Synodontes ; otherwise they would 

 be useless, as the hooks at their end could not act. 

 Close to this type, well represented by Syn. Ruppelli 

 {fig. 82.), Cuvier places Lacepede's genus Agenieosus* > 



founded on the military or horned silure of Bloch 

 (pi. 262.), and with which he associates the Pimelodus Si- 

 londia of Hamilton (pi. Q. f- 50.) ; but as both these 

 fishes have the belly much shorter than the tail, they do 



* Ageniosus of our Synopsis. 



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