OPHIOCEPHALID.E. 359 



Family XXXIX. OPHIOCEPHALID^E. 



Labyrinthici, pi, Cuv. 



Branchiostegals five ; pseudobranchiae absent. Grills four. Body 

 elongate, subcylindrical anteriorly ; head depressed, having supe- 

 riorly somewhat plate-like scales. Eyes lateral. Grill-openings 

 wide, the membranes of the two sides connected beneath the 

 isthmus. A cavity exists above and accessory to the true gill- 

 opening, but although some thin bony laminae are present, no 

 suprabranchial organ is developed. Teeth in the jaws, vomer, and 

 palate. A single, long, spineless dorsal fin, and a similar though 

 shorter anal. Ventral s thoracic or absent ; when present consisting 

 of six rays, the outer of which is unbranched and sometimes 

 articulated at its extremity. Lateral line abruptly curved or 

 almost interrupted. Air-bladder present. Pyloric appendages, 

 when present, few. 



The Ophiocephalidce, having hollow cavities in their heads, and 

 an amphibious mode of respiration, are able to exist for lengthened 

 periods out of their native element, and can travel some distance 

 over the ground, especiallv when it is moist. Thev are able to 

 progress in a serpentine manner, chiefly by means of their pectoral 

 and caudal fins, first one of the former being advanced, and then 

 its fellow. 



These fishes appear to be monogamous, some breeding in grassy 

 swamps or the edges of tanks, some in wells or stone-margined 

 receptacles for water, and others again in holes in river-banks. 

 The varieties which live in tanks and swamps keep much to the 

 shallow and grassy edges. 



Amongst the fish which I myself saw exhumed from the mud of 

 a dried-up tank were some Ophiocephali ; they are also recorded by 

 the natives of India as descending with downpours of rain. 



Geographical Distribution. Freshwater fishes distributed through- 

 out Baluchistan, Afghanistan, India, Burma, Ceylon, China, Siam, 

 and the Malay Archipelago, from elevated localities and the most 

 inland districts to within the influence of the tides. They inhabit 

 both ponds and rivers ; and are known as Murrel in Northern 

 India. 



Uses. All these fishes are useful as food, those which inhabit 

 rivers being better flavoured than the others which live in sluggish 

 or stagnant water. 



Synopsis of Indian Genera. 



Ventral fins present 1. OPHIOCEPHALUS. 



Ventrals wanting 2. CHANNA. 



1. Genus OPHIOCEPHALUS, Bloch. 

 Ventral fins present. Pyloric appendages two. 



