ESPECIALLY MYCTOPHOIDS 139 
support at least 15 branchiostegal rays. The first 8 rays are small and of uniform 
shape, the remaining 7 gradually increase in size until the terminal ones are large 
and flattened. The urohyal is long and formed of two laminae of bone connected 
dorsally. 
Paired fins and girdles. The pectoral girdle is like that of Halec eupterygius, but 
in addition a large postcleithrum projects postero-ventrally from the lower end of the 
supracleithrum. Eleven or 12 rays make up the pectoral fin, the first is unbranched, 
stout and basally ornamented with small tubercles. The pelvic bones lie below the 
dorsal fin and the fins are as large as the pectorals, also consisting of approximately 
Ir rays. Most of the rays are branched and ornamented in their basal regions. 
Vertebral column. The vertebral column is shown in the restoration of the entire 
skeleton in Text-figure 63. It consists of approximately 40 vertebrae, of which 18 
are caudal. The centra are slightly longer than deep and mesially constricted. 
In the precaudal region the neural arches are easily displaced from the centra 
indicating the looseness of the attachment in life. Ventro-lateral transverse pro- 
cesses occur on the precaudal centra for the articulation of the long, thin, flattened 
ribs. The first two caudal vertebrae only possess haemal arches with which the 
ribs articulate. Both epineurals and epipleurals are present on the first 30 vertebrae. 
Median fins and tail. The median fins are shown in the restoration, Text-figure 
63. The dorsal fin consists of 13 or 14 rays and is just within the anterior half of 
the back. The first finray is short, stout and unbranched with ornamentation on 
su 
lOmm ph 
es 
Fic. 64. Halec haueri (Bassani). Caudal fin skeleton in lateral view. 
