PISCES APODES. OPHIDIUM. 
V 
OPHIDIUM. 
GENERIC CHARACTER. 
Caput nudiusculum; denies maxillis , palato, 
Jaucibus. Membrana branchiostega radiis 
vii. patula. Corpus ensiforme. 
The head without scales; teeth in the 
jaws, palate, and throat; vii. rays in 
the branchial membrane, mostly ex¬ 
posed. The body sword-form. 
No. XXXVIII. 
Ophidium capite anguino; linea laterali loricata; pinna dorsalis analisque caudali connata ; 
cauda lanceolata. 
The Ophidium with a snake-like head ; the lateral line rough ; the dorsal and anal fins 
united with the caudal; the tail lanceolate. 
Called by the Natives Tala Bon. 
The body sword-fonn, smooth, without scales. 
The head oblong, compressed, pointed, resembling a snake’s head. The mouth large, straight; lips thick; 
jaws elongated, the under shorter considerably than the upper; in both there are long crooked teeth in front, 
with a regular row of straight teeth in the upper jaw, which is rough on both sides like a file; the teeth in the 
under jaw are smaller, and almost concealed by the lip. The eyes lateral, more advanced than the corner of 
the mouth, large, oval; nostrils in a groove between the orbit and the nose. The rays of the branchial mem¬ 
brane numerous, partly covered, but discernible through the thin opercula. 
The trunk roundish; the belly thinner than the back; the tail somewhat compressed, and terminates in a 
very narrow, small, pointed fin. The lateral line sloping gently from the shoulder, becomes straight a little 
behind the pectoral fin, and runs along the middle of the body and tail; rough, and very conspicuous. The 
anus is nearer the head than the caudal fin. 
The Jins. The dorsal rises near the head, and is blended with the caudal and anal fins. 
The colour. The back is of a changeable, darkish golden colour, which brightens under the lateral line, and 
is strewed with very minute black dots. The belly is white. 
The length of the subject, one foot nine inches. 
