T\£NIOIDE;E. 85 



TJEN10WEJE. 



The publication of the Histoire des Poissons having as yet advanced no farther 

 than the Scomberoidese, we are unable to continue the tables of the geographical 

 distribution of the species ; but taking the Regne Animal as our guide, we shall 

 give brief notices of the characters of the few remaining families of Acanthopte- 

 rygii. In the latter work the Poissons en ruban, or Tcenioides, immediately 

 succeed the Scomberoidese, with which they are nearly connected ; indeed, this 

 affinity is considered to be so strong, that Lepidopus and Trichiurus, which form 

 the first tribe of the Teenioideae in the Regne Animal, are transferred to the Scom- 

 beroideee in the Histoire des Poissons. Only four genera remain, and the species 

 they contain have, as the family name denotes, a riband-like form, that is, a greatly 

 elongated body with very flat sides : the scales are very small, the gill -rays are six 

 in number, and the ventrals thoracic. Gymnetrus and Stylephorus form one tribe, 

 characterised by a small and slightly-cleft mouth. They are distinguished from 

 each other by the shape of the tail, which, in the former, terminates in a little 

 hook, and in the latter is prolonged by a slender cord that exceeds the body in 

 length. Gymnetrus is remarkable for the form of its fins, which are very long, 

 and so fragile that they are perfect in young fish only. The anterior rays of the 

 dorsal standing on the nape look like a tall plume ; the caudal, which contains few 

 but long rays, rises vertically from the extremity of the tail ; the ventrals are also 

 very long, but the anal is wanting : the mouth is very protractile, and is armed 

 with a few small teeth ; the lateral line gives origin to a series of small spines 

 which are most prominent on the tail ; the cseca are numerous, but there is no 

 air-bladder. Four species of this very curious genus are indicated in the Regne 

 Animal, one of them being common to the Mediterranean and North Sea, two 

 proper to the latter, and two to the Indian Ocean. Stylephorus contains only one 

 known species, which was taken in the Gulf of Mexico. It had no ventrals, and 

 the caudal fin was shorter than in the preceding genus. Another tribe includes 

 the two remaining genera, which have a short muzzle and an obliquely-cleft mouth. 

 Cepola has but two or three non-articulated rays in the long dorsal, which are as 

 flexible as the others ; but the ventral spines are pungent. The anal is long like 

 the dorsal, and extends to the base of the caudal . there are six gill rays, con- 

 spicuous teeth, some ceeca, and an air-bladder. One species is indicated as inha- 



