SCYLLIIDJE. 
345 
excessively elongated, without dermal scutes or spines ; snout pro¬ 
duced. Shagreen absent or very delicate; lateral line supported by 
a series of calcified incomplete rings. Teeth minute, numerous, 
tricuspid. 
Mesiteia sahel-alm$( Pictet & Humbert). 
1866. Scyttium sahel-almce , Pictet & Humbert, Nouv. Eech. Poiss. 
Foss. Mt. Liban, p. Ill, pi. xviii. figs. 2-4. 
1887. Scyttium sahel-cilmce, J. W. Davis, Trans. Roy. Dublin Soc. [2] 
vol. iii. p. 476, pi. xv. fig. 3. 
1888. “ Scyttium ” sahel-almce , A. S. Woodward, Proc. Zool. Soc. p. 126. 
Type. Fish, wanting the greater portion of the caudal region; 
Geneva Museum. 
A species attaining a total length of about 0T9. Origin of the 
first dorsal fin immediately behind the pelvics, the latter much larger 
than the pectoral fins. Length of the caudal region beyond the 
pelvic fins about four times as great as the space between the pec¬ 
torals and pelvics. 
In placing this species in the genus Scyllium , Pictet and Humbert 
employed the term in a very wide sense. They recognized resem¬ 
blances to Pristiurus , but the discovery of the tail now determines 
the generic distinctness of the fish. 
Form, c f Loc. Upper Cretaceous (Senonian) : Sahel Alma, Mount 
Lebanon, Syria. 
. a « 
P. 4778, 48107. A nearly complete fish, shown, of the natural 
size, in PI. XYI. fig. 1, and partially described by J. W. 
Davis, loc. cit. The counterpart of the anterior half only 
is preserved. There are indications of the production of 
the cranium at least 0’017 in advance of the jaws (m.), 
and the anterior fontanelle (/.) is well shown. Each 
mandibular ramus measures about 0*01 in length, and 
numerous minute cuspidate teeth are displayed. Remains 
of the branchial arches (“ branchiostegal rays,” Davis ) 
are distinct upon each side. The vertebras are longer 
than deep, much constricted, and evidently asterospondylic 
in structure ; there are slender ribs, and in the caudal 
region the neural and haemal arches are well displayed. 
The haemal spines are long and narrow, each expanded 
distally ; while the neural spines are comparatively small, 
alternating with the intercalary cartilages. The precise 
characters of the pectoral arch ( pet .) cannot be determined ; 
and the only noteworthy feature in the pectoral fins is 
the great length of the metapterygium, which bears not 
