98 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



THE PHARYNGEAL TEETH OF FISHES. 

 By Colonel C. E. Shepherd (Indian Army). 



(Continued from vol. xviii. p. 272.) 

 SYMBRANCHIDiE. 



Amphipnous cuchia is an Indian fish that is provided with 

 respiratory air-sacs, enabling it to breathe when buried in the 

 mud of dried-up swamps, or lying amidst the weeds at the sides 

 of tanks. It has no gill-rakers, and only three branchial arches. 

 The upper pharyngeal teeth are in a circular group on the head 

 of the third epibranchial; they are so much embedded in mucous 

 membrane as not to be easily seen, but are quite palpable to the 

 touch if a finger-tip is pressed against them. In a similar way 

 cognisance can be taken of the existence of the lower pharyngeal 

 teeth. 



Fierasferid.e. 



Fierasfer acus has three big, horny gill-rakers which stand 

 up on the first cerato-hypobranchial arch ; the one at the angle 

 being contained about two and a half times in the length from 

 the angle to the end of the hypobranchial : there are three 

 tubercle gill-rakers on the first epibranchial. The other arches 

 are furnished with tubercle gill-rakers. The upper and lower 

 pharyngeal teeth are minute, and in each case grow in elongated 

 groups. These fishes have a curious habit of spending part of 

 their lives, possibly for shelter, in the interior of Sea-Slugs 

 (Holothurians), and also in bivalve Mollusca. 



ScOMBRESOCIDjE. 



Belone acus is a Mediterranean fish, similar to the " Gar- 

 Pike " of the English coasts. The upper pharyngeal teeth are 

 in two distinct groups on each side; the upper group, long 

 and narrow, has villiform teeth ; a row of these along the 

 inner margin stand out. The lower group is triangular in 

 shape with a pointed apex and rounded base ; it has villiform 

 teeth. The lower pharyngeal teeth are in one long triangular 



