REVIEW OP THE GENUS SCHEDOPHILUS — OGILBY. 
67 
natural subdivisions of the genus, which, when our knowledge of 
these pelagic forms is more thorough, may or may not be raised 
to full generic rank. 
SCHEDOPHILUS.* 
Schedophilus , Cocco, Giorn. Innom. Mess. Ann. iii. 1829. 
Grius, sp, Valenc. in Webb & Berthel. lies Canar. Poiss. p. 45, 
1836. 
Icosteus , Lockington, Proc. US. Nat. Mus. ii. p. 63, 1880. 
Icichthys , Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. US. Nat. Mus. ii. p. 305, 1880. 
Schedophilopsis , Steindachner, SB. Ak. Wien, lxxxvi. p. 82, 
1882. 
Branchiostegals six or seven : pseudobranch he present. Body 
oblong-ovate or ovate, strongly compressed. Cleft of mouth 
moderate. Preoperele spiniferous. A single series of small teeth 
in the jaws : vomer, palatines, and tongue edentulous. One 
dorsal fin, extending nearly along the whole back, formed by 
flexible rays, the anterior of which are more or less simple : 
anal similarly formed : ventrals thoracic, with one spine and 
four or five rays. Scales small and eyelid, or absent ; ver- 
tical fins with a basal scaly sheath. Airbl adder present or 
absent. 
Geographical Distribution . — Mediterranean ; tropical and sub- 
tropical parts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans ; not as yet 
recorded from the Indian Ocean, nor from the East Coast of 
America. 
Synopsis of the species . 
A. Scales small ; branchiostegals seven ; ventral fins with five 
soft rays (Icichthys) 
a . Scales striated ; dorsal commencing above the margin of 
the opercle I. macula tus. 
aa. Scales smooth. 
b . Dorsal commencing behind the head I. locking toni. 
Dorsal commencing above the vertical margin of the 
preoperele /. bertlieloti . 
* Agassiz gives, as the derivation of Cocco’s generic name, 
scheda, and </hAos, amicus. The former of these words means a leaf or 
tablet, and has therefore no significance in connection with the fish ; if, 
however, the name be derived from the meaning of which is a 
raft or float, a recognised habit of the young Scliedophili would be 
felicitously expressed. 
