Ophichthid Eels — Gosline 
317 
head and body in life plain greenish, darker 
above. 
DERIVATION OF NAME: xen, Strange; odontus, 
toothed. 
LEIURANUS Bleeker 
Vomerine teeth lacking. Dorsal beginning 
well behind head. Pectorals small. No nasal 
appendage. 
One species : Leiuranus semicinctus. 
12.3 Leiuranus semicinctus 
(Lay and Bennett) 
Figs. 4, 11c 
Ophtsurus semicinctus Lay and Bennett (1839: 
66, pi. 4, fig. 4) (Oahu). 
Leiuranus semicinctus, Fowler (1901: 494) (Ha- 
waiian Islands); Snyder (1904: 516) (Ho- 
nolulu); Fowler and Ball (1925: 6) (John- 
ston Island). 
MATERIAL EXAMINED: 2 Specimens from 
Oahu in the University of Hawaii Collection; 
2 specimens from Oahu and 2 from Johnston 
Island in the Bishop Museum Collection. 
Among Hawaiian forms, the color pattern 
of this fish could be confused only with that 
of Myrichthys hleekeri. 
OPHICHTHUS Thunberg and Ahl 
For purposes of the present paper Ophich- 
thus may be defined as follows: Dorsal fin 
commencing over or behind gill opening. 
Pectorals present. Conical teeth present on 
jaws and vomer. Lower jaw somewhat in- 
ferior. 
13. Ophichthus polyophthalmus (Bleeker) 
Ophichthys polyophthalmus Bleeker (1864: 43) 
(Amboina); Fowler (1927: 5) (Kahoo- 
lawe); Fowler (1928: 45) (Honolulu mar- 
ket). 
Microdonophis fowleri Jordan and Evermann 
(1904: 164) (Honolulu market); Jordan 
and Evermann (1905: 82, pi. 6) (Honolulu 
^For reference to species 11, see key, page 309. 
market); Jordan and Snyder (1907: 208) 
(Honolulu market). 
Microdonophis polyophthalmus, Jordan and Sny- 
der (1907: 208) (Honolulu market). 
MATERIAL EXAMINED: 1 Specimen in two 
pieces, recorded by Fowler (1928), from Ka- 
hoolawe, in the Bishop Museum. 
The teeth in this specimen are large and 
sharp, in very regular uniserial series on the 
jaws and vomer. I can find little trace of the 
fringe on the upper lip described by Jordan 
and Evermann, and the lower jaw is more in- 
ferior than shown on their plate. 
BRACHYSOMOPHIS Kaup 
Lower jaw protruding beyond the upper. 
Large canine teeth in the jaws and on vomer. 
Eye far forward on snout. Upper lip fringed. 
The taxonomic problems in regard to 
Brachysomophis have recently been pointed out 
by Schultz (1943: 17). 
14. Brachysomophis henshawi 
Jordan and Snyder 
Figs. 2, 18 
Brachysomophis henshawi Jordan and Snyder 
(1904: 910) (Honolulu); Jordan and Ever- 
mann (1905: 84, pi. 7) [on the type]; Fow- 
ler (1928: 46) [on the type]. 
MATERIAL EXAMINED: 1 Specimen, without 
locality but most probably from Oahu, in- 
herited by the University of Hawaii Collec- 
tion. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE OPHICHTHIDAE 
IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS 
The records of the Ophichthidae in the 
Hawaiian Islands are in agreement with the 
Fig. 18. Head of Brachysomophis henshawi. The pec- 
torals of the only available specimen are broken. 
