ATHERINID.E. 
361 
Ihe undefined name Atherina minutissima was also given by 
-Agassiz (Poiss. Foss. vol. iv. 1835, p. 43) to a fish from Monte 
Bolca. 
Genus RHAMPHOGNATHUS, Agassiz. 
[Poiss. Foss. vol. v. pt. i. 1844, pp. 9, 104.] 
Syn. M esogaster, L. Agassiz, ibid, pp. 9, 106. 
As Atherina, but snout elongated to an acute point and scales 
relatively smaller. 
In the present state of knowledge it is impossible to distinguish 
Gds fish satisfactorily from the existing Atberiue genera named 
Chirostoma (Swainson, 1839), Menidia (Bonaparte, 1840), Ather- 
inoides (Bleeker, 1853), Atherinichihys (Bleeker, 1853), Basilichthys 
(Girard, 18541, Atherinopsis (Girard, 1854), Labidesthes (Cope, 
]8 “0), Atherinops (Steindachner, 1875), and Leuresthe s (Jordan & 
Gilbert, 1880). Opinions vary as to how many of these are 
synonymous. 
Rhamphognathus paralepoides, Agassiz. 
1790. Eso.t sphyreena, G. S. Volta, Ittiolit. Veronese, p. cvii. pi. xxiv. 
fig. 2 (error/;). 
1 ~d0. Esox saurus, G. S. Volta, ibid. p. ccvi. pi. 1. fig. 2 (err ore). 
1796. Ammodytes tobianus, G. S. Volta, ibid. p. ccxx. pi. liii. fig. 3 
(err ore), 
1818. “ Ammodytes tobianus , ,f 11. 1), de Blainville, Nouv. Diet, d Hist. 
Nat. vol. xxvii. p. 360. 
18, ,5. Ithamphognathus paralepoides, L. Agassiz, Neues Jahrb. p. 292 
(name only). 
1 839-44. Rhamphognathus paralepoides, L. Agassiz, Poiss. Foss. vol. v. 
pt. i. p. 104, pi. xxxviii. fig. 1 (JR. pompilius on plate X 
1876. Rhamphognathm paralepoides, F. Bassani, Atti Soc. Veneto- 
Trent. Sci. Nat, vol. iii. p. 186. 
1 898. Rhamphognathus paralepoides , F. Bassani, Palseont. Italics, 
v ol. iii. p. 81, pi. ix. fig. 3. 
!!pe,. Imperfect fish ; Paris Museum of Natural History. 
Ihe type species, attaining a length of about 0 - 2. Length of 
dead with opercular apparatus contained nearly four times in the 
f otal length of the fish. Teeth very minute and pointed. Vertebrae 
24 in the abdominal, 22 in the caudal region. Pelvic fins arising 
somewhat nearer to the pectorals than to the anal. Anterior dorsal 
fin with at least 8 spines, situated opposite the middle of the space 
between the pelvic and anal fins; posterior dorsal and anal fins 
directly opposed, with from 7 to 9 rays. 
J''orm. <$/• Loc. Tipper Eocene : Monte Bolca, near Verona. 
Not represented in the Collection. 
