GONOEHYNCHIDJE, 
271 
Family GONORHYNCHID^. 
Trunk fusiform or elongated, and caudal region relatively short. 
Supraoccipital bone not prominent, but extending forwards to the 
frontals and separating the parietals in the median line ; squamosal 
suturally united with parietals and completely covering the otic 
bones except behind; snout not produced; cueek-plates rudimentary. 
Mandibular suspensorium much inclined forwards, and gape of 
mouth small; premaxilla smaller than maxilla, but excluding 
latter from the oral margin ; teeth, if present, chiefly or exclusively 
on some inner bones of mouth. Opercular apparatus complete, 
with few branchiostegal rays and no gular plate. Vertebral centra 
well ossified, but usually pierced by notochord ; abdominal vertebras 
with robust transverse processes bearing delicate ribs, which do 
not completely encircle the abdominal cavity ; a compound hypural 
bone at the base of the tail. Intermuscular bones present. Fin- 
fulcra absent; pectoral arch without precoracoid process; dorsal and 
anal fins small; no adipose dorsal fin. Scales narrow and elongated, 
very deeply imbricated, and often extending over the cheeks and 
opercular apparatus. 
The only known existing species of this family is Gonorhynchus 
gt'eyi^ which inhabits the seas off Japan, South Africa, Australia, 
and Yew Zealand. Its gill-cleft is narrow, and pseudobranchiae are 
present; there is no air-bladder ; the stomach is simple, without 
blind sac, while the pyloric appendages occur in small number. 
Synojjsis of Genera. 
I. Teeth on pterygoid and hyoid bones. 
Dorsal fin scarcely if at all behind middle 
of back, and pelvic fins opposed to 
it; scales not covering head. Charitosomus {^.27\). 
Dorsal fin far behind middle of back, and 
pelvic fins opposed to it; scales 
covering head . Gonorhynchus (Recent). 
II. Teeth absent. 
Dorsal fin nearly in middle of back, 
4/ 7 
more or less directly opposite pelvic 
pair; scales covering head. Notogoneus (p. 275). 
Genus CHARITOSOIMUS^ W. von der Marck. 
[Palgeontogr. vol. xxxi. 1885, p. 257.1 
Syu. Solenognathus, Pictet & Humbert {non Swainson, 1839), Nouv. 
Rech. Poiss. Foss. Mt. Liban, 1866, p. 54. 
Head small and trunk much elongated, laterally compressed. 
