2 TELEOSTEI. 



influence, or above the sea level. The larger the river, the greater is the probability of their extending then- 

 range up it. The hard rayed fishes captured in the fresh waters, mostly belong to one of the following genera. 

 Lates, Ambassis, Nanihis, Baclis, Pristolepis, Scicena, JEquula, Gobius and allied genera, Mwjil, members of the 

 Labyrinthiform and Opldocephaloid families, as well as the spined eels, and the Etropli. 



SYNOPSIS OF FAMILIES AMONGST THE ACANTHOPTERYGIL* 



First Group — Perciformes. 



Body elevated or oblong, not elongate. No superbranchial organ. Spinous dorsal well developed, the 

 soft dorsal similar to the soft anal : ventrals thoracic, 1/4 or 1/5. t Vent remote from the end of the tail, and 

 posterior to the ventral fins. No prominent anal papilla. 



1. Perciclce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Neither molars nor cutting teeth. Vertical 

 fins generally scaleless. Lateral line almost invariably present and uninterrupted. J 



2. Squamipinnes. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Body mostly elevated and compressed. 

 Neither molars nor cutting teeth, setiform ones may exist in the jaws, or villiform ones on the palate. Vertical 

 fins scaled. Lateral line uninterrupted. 



3. Mullidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Teeth feeble, jaws and palate variously armed 

 or edentulous. Two long and stiff barbels below the chin. 



4. Nandidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Teeth feeble, but dentition more or less 

 complete. Lateral line interrupted or absent. 



5. Sparidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Either rows of cutting or conical teeth in the 

 front of the jaws, or a lateral row of molars, or both conjoined. 



6. Girrlvitidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Neither cutting nor molar teeth. Lower 

 pectoral rays unbranched. 



7. Scorpcenidce. Preopercle articulated with the orbit. Some of the bones of the head armed. 



8. Teuthididce. Each ventral fin having two sjsines and three intermediate soft rays. 



Second group — Beryciformes. 



Body oblong or elevated. Head with large, subcutaneous, muciferous cavities. Ventral fins thoracic, 

 each with a spine, and less or more than five soft rays. Vent remote from the end of the tail, and posterior to 

 the ventral fins. 



9. Berycidce as defined for the group. 



Third group — Kurtiformes. 



Body strongly compressed. A single dorsal fin, much less developed than the anal. Vent remote from 

 the end of the tail, and posterior to the ventral fins. 



10. Kuiiidce as defined for the group. 



Fourth group — Polynemiformes. 



Mouth on the lower side of a prominent snout : muciferous system on the head well developed. Two 

 rather short dorsal fins : several free and articulated filaments below each pectoral. Scales more or less 

 covering the vertical fins. Vent remote from the end of the tail, and posterior to the ventral fins. 



11. PolynemidcB as defined for the group. 



Fifth group — Sciseniformes. 

 Muciferous system on the head well developed. The second dorsal fin much more developed than the 

 first, or the anal : no pectoral filaments. Vent remote from the end of the tail, and posterior to the ventral 

 fins. 



12. Scicenidce as defined for the group. 



Sixth group— Xiphii formes. 



The upper jaw produced into a long, sword-like process. Vent remote from the end of the tail, and 

 posterior to the ventral fins. 



13. XipMidce as defined for the group. 



* This synopsis of the Families of Acauthopterygian fishes existing in India, is taken, with as slight alterations as possible, from 

 the elaborate one in the British Museum Catalogue of fish, Vol. iii, Appendix. By adhering to this, it has been considered, that 

 reference to the specimens in the national collection would be facilitated. 



■j- There are exceptions; thus in some genera amongst the Scorpomidce, the rays are rudimentary, and in TeutMdida the ventral 

 fra has 2/3. 



{ For exceptions, see Genus Ambassis, also Poey has recorded from Cuba a Genus nearly allied to Liitimus, but which, 

 amongst other things, is distinguished by having an interrupted lateral line. 



DSI 



