432 
Body elongate, cylindrical, tail well compressed, short, 
tapers. Eyes small, covered by skin. Lips well developed. 
Premaxillary teeth small, uniserial, expanded triangularly and 
triserially at symphysis; stouter teeth on palatines and ptery¬ 
goids, conic, form single arched series; lateral teeth still 
stronger, uniserial and expended pluriserially near symphysis. 
Hind nostrils oval, above eye; front nostrils minute, near 
snout tip. Gill membranes not joined with isthmus, have single 
transverse opening. No accessory breathing sac. Branchiostegals 
6. Vertebrae 127 to 137, of which 51 to 57 caudal. Wo scales. 
* 
Lateral line present. 
The American form has been observed to live in marshes 
which at different times of the year dry up. Though the fish 
bury themselves in the mud similar to Lepidosiren the gill 
filaments are well developed on the four branchial arches. 
t 
