440 
GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. 
[PART IV. 
Family 55.— OPHIDIIDiE. (16 Genera, 43 Species.) 
“ Marine fishes, with more or less elongate bodies, the dorsal 
and anal fins united, and the ventral fins rudimentary or absent.” 
Distribution. — Almost universal ; from Greenland to New 
Zealand, but most abundant in the Tropics. 
Ophicliwm and Ammodytes occur in British seas ; Lucifugct 
inhabits subterranean fresh waters in Cuba. 
Family 56.— MACEOURIDZE. (3 Genera, 21 Species.) 
“ Marine fishes, with the body terminating in a long, com- 
pressed tapering tail, and covered with spiny, keeled or striated 
scales.” 
Distribution. — North Atlantic from Greenland to Madeira 
and the Canary Islands, Mediterranean, Japanese and Australian 
seas. 
None of these fishes have occurred in the British seas. 
Family 57. — ATELEOPODIDiE. (1 Genus, 1 Species.) 
“ Marine fishes, with the naked body terminating in a long 
compressed, tapering tail.” 
Distribution. — Japan. 
Family 58. — PLEUEONECTIDAE. (34 Genera, 185 Species.) 
“ Marine carnivorous fishes, with strongly compressed flat 
bodies, one side of which is colourless, and eyes unsymmetrically 
placed, both on the coloured side. They inhabit the sandy 
bottoms of shallow seas, and often ascend rivers.” 
Distribution. — Universal, on Arctic, Temperate, and Tropical 
coasts. 
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