. GYMNETRES. OPHIDONIDiE. ^59 



Gymnetrus Block, Body excessively long ; riband- 

 shaped ; ventral fins very long ; the rays simply 

 filiform or spatulate. 



Gymnetrus proper, Bloch, Front and mouth nearly 



vertical; crown with a distinct fin, resembling a 



crest; ventral fins filiform, ending in a spatulate 



plate. 



G. gladius. Cuv. and Val. pi. telum. lb. pi. 299.. 



298. 



Xiphichthys Sw. Ventral fin of a single filiform ray, 

 ending in a fine point ; caudal fin fusiform, of four 

 rays connected at the base, and afterwards joined, 

 where they all terminate in one slender filament. 

 Z. Russelii. Sw. Russ. i. p. 40. 



Lophotes Giorna, Crown of the head very high, ele- 

 vated above the mouth and surmounted by a recurved 

 horn-like process ; dorsal fin as long as the body ; 

 caudal distinct, small ; ventral very minute; anal close 

 to the caudal, and just before the vent. 

 L. Cepedianus Gior. Cuv. pi. 301. Siculus. Sw. App. 



3. SuBFAM. OPHIDONID^. 



Body anguilliform, more robust and less compressed ; 

 anal fin nearly as long as the dorsal, and united to the 

 caudal ; all the fins thickened. 



XiPHAsiA Nob. Body excessively long and linear ; the 

 ventral fins of a single filamentous ray. 

 Z. setifer Sw. Russ. pi. 39. 



Cepola Linn. Body moderately long, gradually di- 

 minishing from the vent ; head obtuse ; pectoral fin 

 rounded ; ventral rather before the pectoral, smaller, 

 pointed, attached by a membrane at the base ; dorsal 

 and anal fins united to the caudal. 



C. tsenia Linn. attenuata. Sw. Appendix, 



rubescens Linn. See App. gularis. Sw. lb. 



longicauda Sw. App. variegata. Sw. lb. 



novemradiata Sw. lb. truncata. Sw. lb. 

 gigas Sw. lb. 



S 2 



