420 
Suborder Alabeoidia 
Mouth small. Palate toothless, Opercles rhomboid— 
al. Skull short, wide, depressed. Vent in anterior half 
of body. Dorsal and anal well developed. Ventrals pre¬ 
sent, very small, 2 rayed, just behind gill opening. 
Family Alabeldae 
Body eel like. Snout blunt. Eyes advanced, far for¬ 
ward. Mouth small, terminal. Teeth blunt, compressed, 
uniserial. Gill opening single, on ventral surface. 
Vertebrae 75, of which 52 caudal. Body naked. 
Small fishes of the Australian coasts, known as "shore 
eels". 
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