th e ta il sh ow s a n ed g e o f sk in a b o v e a n d b e low w ith o u t
ra y s . T h e m o u th is c le f t p a s t th e eye. T h e te e th a re
s to u tly s u b u la te . T h e u a s a l o n e s ta lle r th a n th e re s t.
P a la tin e o n e s b is e r ia l, th e row s sh o rt. M a n d ib u la r o n e s
u n is e r ia l p o s te r io r ly , b is e r ia l in fro n t, th e row s fa r th e r
a p a r t th a n th e p a la tin e o n e s . V om e rin e te e th b is e r ia l in
fro n t, u n is e ria l p o s te rio rly . I t th u s d iffe rs from p a l le n s in
th e v om e rin e te e th . I t s c o lo u r is b row n o n th e b a c k , p a le
b e n e a th . L e n g ih 1 4 |- in c h e s . T o a n u s 5 '3 in c h e s . T o
d o r s a l I'O in c h . T o g ill-o p e n in g 5 '5 5 in c h e s . L e n g th o f
p e c to r a l ^ a n in c h . H a b . C h in e s e Seas.
O p h i s u r u s h i ja l a . B u c h a n a n -H am ilto n .
Ophisurus h ijala, Biich.-Hamiltoii, Ganges, p. 20 and 263, PI. 6,
f. 5. Hardw. Icon. ined. Brit. Mus. 300.
T h i s is a v e rm ifo rm sp e c ie s , w ith a r a th e r sm a ll, b u t n o t
a ru d im e n ta ry , p e c to r a l. T h e s p e c im e n d e s c r ib e d be low
w a s b e q u e a th e d to th e B r itis h M u s e um b y G e n e r a l P la rd -
wicke.
T h e te e th a re sh o r t, c o n ic o - s u b u la te a « d a c u te , s to u te s t
o n th e n a s a l b o n e a n d in f ro n t o f th e m a n d ib le . T h e r e a re
five o n th e n a s a l d isk , v iz ., two on e a c h s id e a n d a n o d d
o n e in fro n t. T h e v om e rin e te e th a re b is e ria l, a n d c om m
e n c e in c o n ta c t w ith th e n a s a l d isk . T h e p a la tin e te e th
a r e a lso b is e r ia l, a n d th e m a n d ib u la r o n e s b is e r ia l in fro n t
b u t u n is e r ia l la te ra lly .
T h e h e a d IS sm a l l ; th e b o d y lo n g , ro u n d ish a n d sle n d e r,
th e c o n ic a l tip o f th e ta il b e in g c om p re s s e d , b u t y e t c o n v e x
o n th e s id e s . T b e d o r s a l c om m e n c e s b e h in d th e tip o f
th e p e c to r a l, a n d , lik e th e a n a l, g ra d u a lly low e r s till very
n e a r th e t ip o f th e ta il, wh e re th e y te rm in a te . I n B u c h a n a n -
H am ilto n ’s fig u re , th e d o r s a l a p p ro a c h e s a little n e a re r to
th e lip th a n th e a n a l, w h ic h is n.sual iu th e g e n u s , b u t th is
p a r t o f th e form c o u ld n o t b e c le a rly m a d e o u t in th e s p e c
im e n , o w in g to th e lovvness o f t h e fin s a n d ih c ir c o n tr a c tio
n in th e sp irit. T h e la te ra l lin e is m a rk e d b y a g roove ,
w h ic h was p ro b a b ly a tu b e in th e r e c e n t fish , w ith p o r e s
a t d i s ta n t in te rv a ls d e s c e n d in g from it.
L e n g th 1 4 '8 in c h e s . T o a n u s o '7 in c h e s . T o g ill-
o p e u in g 1 T 5 in c h .
B u c h a n a n -H am ilto n d e s c rib e s th is O p h is u r u s a s b e in g
o f a w h itish h u e b e n e a th a n d th ic k ly cov e red with gre en
d o ts ab o v e , th e d o ts d e s c e n d in g be low th e la te r a l lin e b e fore
th e v e n t, b u t te rm in a tin g a t i t p o s te r io r ly . T h e r e is
a lso a s e rie s o f p a le ro u n d c o n tig u o u s sp o ts o n th e la te ra l
lin e b e fo re th e v e n t. H e s ta le s th e r a y s a s “ P . 8 ; D
from 2 3 0 to 2 4 0 ; A. 170.” G e n e r a l Havc lwicke ’s d raw in g
is c o lo u re d ve ry p a le g re e n o n th e b a c k , with m in u te
sp e c k s , w h itish o n th e b e lly , a n d a u ro r a - r e d o n th e v e rtic a l
fins. In th e R e g n e A n im a l (ii. p . 3 o l , n o te ) th e h ija la o f
B n c h a n a n -H am illo n is q u o te d a s a sy n o n ym o f t h e Oph.
o p h is , B l. 154, b u t, e v id e n tly b y a ty p o g r a p h ic a l e rro r, th e
lin e s e p a r a tin g d is tin c t sp e c ie s h a v in g b e e n om itted .
H ab. I n d ia . G e n e ra l H a rdw ic k e ’s sp e c im e n w a s p r o c
u r e d from a s a lt-w a te r lake .
O p h is u r u s m a c u l o s u s . C u v ie r ?
Ophisurus maculosus, Cuv. Regne Airim. ii. p. 351, in notis.
Ophisure ophis, Lacep. ii. PI. 6, tig. 2.
T h e fish d e s c r ib e d b e low agi-ees w ith L a c e p e d e ’s figure
a b o v e q u o te d , w h ic h d o e s n o t re p r e s e n t th& M u ræ n a o p h is
o f B lo c h , b u t h is d e s c r ip tio n (ii. p . 196), w h ic h n o tic e s
“ d e n ts re c o u rb é e s ,” m o s t p ro b a b ly re fe rs to B lo c h ’s fish.
N o t h a v in g s e e n a n a u th e n tic a te d sp e c im e n o f C u v ie r’s
m a c u lo su s , th e o n ly re a so n 1 h a v e for s u p p o s in g th is to be
th e sam e is th a t a u th o r ’s re fe re n c e to L a c e p e d e ’s figure.
I t h a s m u c h re s em b la n c e to th e O p h isu ru s p a r d a l i s o f
V a le n c ie n n e s , a n d w ith o u t a c om p a riso n o f sp e c im e n s ,
w h ic h I h av e n o t th e m e a n s o f in s titu tin g , I c a n n o t p o in t
o u t th e d iffe re n c e s c le a rly . T h e y a re , h ow ev e r, in h a b ita n ts
o f d iffe re n t o c e an s .
T h e te e th a re a ll sm a ll, c o n ic a n d a c u te ; e ig h t s ta n d i r r
e g u la rly o n th e o v a l d isk o f th e n a s a l b o n e . T h e vom e rin e ,
p a la tin e a n d m a n d ib u la r te e th a re b is e ria l. V a le n c ie n n e s
m e n tio n s “ d e d e n ts o b tu s e s su r p lu s ie u rs r a n g s ” a s e x is tin g
in h is s im ila rly -m a rk e d p a r d a lis on th e n a s a l b o n e a n d vom
e r, or, a s h e n am e s th e s e b o n e s , th e c h e v ro n a n d b o d y o f
th e vom e r. T h e fish is s le n d e r , b e c om in g c om p re s s e d to w
a rd s th e lip o f th e ta il. T h e p e c to r a l is o f a s em ic irc u la r
fo rm , sm a ll a n d d e lic a te , b u t e a s ily v is ib le to th e n a k e d
ey e , a n d is su p p o r te d b y fifte en ra y s . O n ly tw e lv e ray s
a re d e s c r ib e d a s b e lo n g in g to th e p e c to r a l o f p a r d a lis .
T h e d is ta n c e from th e tip o f th e sn o u t to th e g ill-o p e n in g
is co n ta in e d e ig h t tim e s in th e d is ta n c e b e tw e e n th e sn o u t
a n d an u s , a n d e ig h te e n tim e s iu th e to ta l le n g th o f th e
fish , w h ic h p la c e s th e g ill-o p e n in g f a r th e r fo rw a rd th a n in
p a r d a lis . T h e d o rs a l b e g in s a t th e o c c ip u t, a n d , in c om m
o n w ith th e an a l, g ra d u a lly low e rs tow a rd s th e e n d o f th e
ta il. T h e y te rm in a te o p p o s ite to e a c h o th e r , v e ry n e a r th e
e x tr em e tip o f th e ta il. T h e b o d y is m a rk e d with ro u n d
b row n sp o ts , d isp o s e d in tlire e row s in a q n in c iin c ia l m a n n
e r. T h e sp o ts o f p a r d a lis a re m o re o b lo n g a n d le s s
r e g u la r.
L e n g th 2 2 in c h e s . T o a n u s 9 ’25 in c h e s . T o g ill-o p e n in
g 1 ’25 in c h .
T w o sp e c im e n s e x is t in th e B r itis h M u s eum .
H a b . j
O p h is u r u s in t e r t in c t u s . R ic h a rd s o n .
T h e te e th g e n e ra lly a re su b u la te a n d a c u te , m o re o r le ss
s le n d e r, a n d m o s tly in c lin e d b a c kw a rd s . T h e n a s a l disk
is s e t ro u n d th e e d g e w ith five sm a ll o n e s , th e o d d o ne b e in
g a t th e p o in t o f th e r a th e r a c u te sn o u t, a n d th e r e a re
th r e e la rg e r te e th o n th e m e s ia l lin e , th e fo rem o s t o f w h ich
is s to u tly s u b u la te , b u t n o t so ta ll a s th e s e c o n d o ne . T h e
b is e ria l v om e rin e te e th c om m e n c e c lo s e to th e n a s a l d isk ,
a n d ru n b a c kw a rd s for tw o -lh ird s o f th e w ay to th e a n g le
o f th e n ioiilh. T h e p a la tin e te e th a re b is e ria l in th e m id dle
, w h e re th e in n e r row is c om p o s e d o f th ir te e n te e th , n o t
so ta ll a s th e o u te r oires. T h e r e a re fo u r ta ll o n e s a n te r io
rly in a s in g le row , a n d four sm a ll one s a t th e c o rn e r o f
Ih e m o u th , fo llo tv iu g th e d o u b le rows. T h e m a n d ib u la r
le elh a r e b is e r ia l o n ?he s id e s o f th e b o n e , the o u te r row
b e iu c ta lle r a n d m o re w id e ly s e t, th e i n n e r row b e in g c lose ,
ev ln a n d m o re n um e ro u s . I n f ro n t th e r e a re s ix lo n g e r
lep th in a s in g le row o n e a c h lim b , th e p o s te n o r o f th e s e
b e in g th e ta lle s t, th e o th e rs g ra d u a lly le s s e n in g tow a rd s
' ' ‘ T M r i l '/w M « * re s em b le s o c e lla tm m th e sn o u t n o t
b e in g tru n c a te d b e tw e e n th e a n te r io r tu b u la r n o s trils , b u t
rn o jem lu g in a c o u ie a l fo rm b e y o n d th e s e o r g a n s a n d m
ih e low e r jaw n o t b e in g co n sp ic u o u s ly sh o rte r. T h e g ap e
is also p r e tty la rg e , in a c c o rd a n c e w ith Us w e ll-d e i e lo p e d
p reh en s ile te e th , a n d th e p e c to r a l v is ib le en o u g h th o i „ h
n o t la rg e . T h e d o rs a l c om m en c e s som e little » ay b e h in d
th e tip o f th e m o d e ra te ly la rg e p e c to r a l, o r th r e e q u a r te r s
of an in c h b e h in d th e g ill-o p e n in g , a n d e n d s o p p o s ite to
th e end, o f th e a n a l, a b o u t a q u a r te r o f a n in c h from th e
ap e x o f th e ta il. B o th i n s , h a v in g p re v io u s ly b e com e
very low , d ila te a l ittle g ra d u a lly be fore th ey te rm in a te .
T h e h e a d is b row n ish ab o v e , with sm a ll d a ik sp o ts a n d
sp e ck s, a n d th e r e a re m in u te d o ts o n th e low e r jaw . T h e r e
are a b o u t s ix te e n la rg e o v a l o r ro u n d b la c k is li-b tow n sp o ts
on th e s id e s , m o s tly ab o v e th e la te r a l l i n e ;
only come b e low th e lin e , a n d a few o n th e d o rs a l a lle in a le
^ i? 7 in c h e s . T o a n u s 5-9 in c h e s . T o g ill-
W e s t In d ie s . T h e sp e c im e n d e s c r ib e d is in th e
O p h is u r u s la b e lle d m a c u la tu s in p ie L e y d e n
M u seum , a n d n o te d a s h a v in g c om e from S u n n am , is , i
s u s p e c t,th is s p e c ie s ; b u t b e in g e n c lo s e d m a p e rm a n e n tly
cove red iav, I c o u ld e x am in e i t o n ly th ro u g h th e^g la ss. I
h av e h a d n o o p p o r tu n ity o f k n ow in g w h a t th e O p ln ^u ru s
g u tta tu s o f C u v ie r is lik e , a n d c o n s e q u e n tly ru n th e lia z a id
o f its b e in g o n e o f t h e sp e c ie s 1 h a v e d e s c i j e d . A s p e c
imen in th e L e y d e n M u s e um , la b e lle d O p h is u n is g u t ta
tu s , V a le n c ie n n e s ,” is m a rk e d w ith la rg e w h ite s p o ts , a n d
h a s p a le fin s , a n d m ay p ro b a b ly b e a v a rie ty o f L e b u e u i s
oc e llatus. A n o th e r in d iv id u a l, from Curagoa,^!!! th e same
M u s eum , la b e lle d “ O p h . g u t ta iu s , C u v ie r, h a s b la c k
spots w ith w h ite c en tre s .
O p h is u r u s s pa d ic e u s . R ic h a rd so n .
B o d y v e rm ifo rm . H o a d sm a ll. S n o u t n a r row , b u t
tru n c a te d a l th e tip , w ith s h o r t tu b u la r n o s tr ils o n its s id e s ;
th e p o s te r io r n o s tr ils m in u te , w ith th e u su a l fo h u le ts ou
th e ed g e o f th e lip . L ow e r j a w c o n s id e r a b ly sh o r te r th a n
th e u p p e r o n e , ro u n d e d a t th o e n d . T h r o a t p a ile d a n d
sw e llin g P e c to r a ls la n c e o la te , a c u te , m o d e r a te ly la ig e ,
s u p p o r te d b y e lev en ray s . D o r s a l a n d a n a l fins foWi
c r e a s in g o n th e ta il, b u t b e c om in g g r a d u a lly a h u l e h ig h e r,
a n d a g a in low e rin g j u s t b e fo re t e n n in a t .n g v e ry n e a r th e
t i c o f t h e ta il. T h e d o rs a l c om m en c e s b e h in d th e tip of
th e p e c to ra l. T h o ra y s o f th e i n s c a n b e re a d ily se en .
L a te r a l lin e a c o n sp ic u o u s fold o f skin.
Ophisurus spadiceus, Richavdsou, Fishes of China, Report to Bnt.
Assoc, for 1845, p. 313.
T e e th sh o rt, ev e n , c o n ic o -su b u la te , a cu te . N a s a l d isk
a rm ed b y five, d isp o s e d iu a row o u e a c h s id e , w ith th e o d d
o ne in fro n t. V om e rin e te e th a lte rn a te o r s iib -b is e n a l a n te
rio rly , b u t r a n g e d move e x a c tly in o n e lin e p o s te n o r iy .
P a la tin e te e th u n is e ria l a n d c lo se s e t, e x te n d in g from Uie
c o rn e r o f th e m o u th to th e c om m e n c em e n t o f th e voiiie rme
series, a n d w ith th o s e o f th e o p p o s ite b o n e , g iv in g th e a p p
e a ra n c e o f a c lu s te r a t th e p o in t o f c o n ta c t o f th e th re e
rows. T h e r e a re tw en ty -tw o in e a c h p a la tin e b o n e .
M a n d ib u la r te e th u n is e ria l, w ith o u t d o u b lin g a t th e sym p
hysis.
T h e c o lo u r o f th e sp e c im e n , a fte r som e y e a rs o f m a c e r a tio
n in s p ir its , is d a rk is h w o o d -b row u a b o v e th e la te r a l
l in e , a n d w h itis h b e n e a th , w ith o u t a n y d e fin ed s p o ttin g .
L e n g th 13|- in c h e s . T o a n u s 4 '8 in c h e s . L e n g th o f
p e c to r a l 0 55 in c h . H e ig h t o f b o d y 0 '4 in c h . I n th e R e p
o r t to th e B r itis h A s so c ia tio n a b o v e q u o te d , th e d is ta n c e
L tw e e n th e Up o f th e su o u t a n d th e a n u s h a s b e e n evrone-
o u s lv g iv en a s 5 '8 in c h e s . ,
H a b . C a n to n . T b e sp e c im en was p r e s e n te d to ttic
B r itis h M u s eum b y J o h n R e e v e s , E s q .
O p h is u r u s v e r s ic o l o r . R ic h a rd so n .
T h i s is a b a n d e d sp e c ie s , lik e co lu h r in u s fa s c ia tu s ,
th o u g h its a c u te su b u la te te e th p la c e i t in a d iffe ren t s e c tio
n . T h e n a s a l d isk is a rm e d w ith n in e s le n d e r re flex
te e th , v iz ., four in e a ch row a n d a n o d d o n e m fro n t. T h e
v om e rin e te e th a re s e v e n te e n in n um b e r , a few ol th e a ii-
te r io r o n e s b e in g in c lin e d a lte rn a te ly to th e r ig h t a n d le ft,
a n d th e r em a in d e r s tr ic tly u n is e ria l. P a la tin e te e th u iii-
s e ria l, a n te r io r ly b is e ria l in th e m id d le a fte r th e s ix th , a n d
th e n u n is e ria l ag a in tow a rd s th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th , w h e ie
th e y a re o f e q u a l h e ig h t, c lo s e , re fle x , a n d , lik e th e o th e r s ,
a c u te ly su b u la te . M a n d ib u la r te e th u u is e n a l, a b o u t n in e te
e n on e a c h lim b , a ll re fle x a n d su b u la te , with a b ro a d is n
to o th le s s in te rv a l a t th e sym p h y s is .
T h e b o d y o f th is sp e c ie s is le s s s le n d e r a n d m o re ro u n d e d
th a n th a t o f fa s c ia tu s o r c o lu b r in u s , th e p e c to r a l is move
c o n sp ic u o u s , a n d th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l in c r e a s e g r a d u a lly m
h e ig h t to a sm a ll e x te n t b e fo re th e y b e g in to s lo p e a iy av
a n d d is a p p e a r a b o u t a q u a r te r o f a n in c h from th e e n d ol
th e ta i l T h e d o rs a l is low , a n d c om m en c e s im m e d ia te ly
b e h in d th e g ill-o p e n in g . T h e b o d y is v a ried b y tw en ty -
sev en p u rp lis h -b row n rin g s , c o n s id e ra b ly b ro a d e r llia ii th e
in te rv a ls b e tw e e n th em ; m o s t o f th e rin g s a re lu r th e r d iv
id e d m o re o r le s s c om p le te ly b y n a rrow e r w h ite lin e s o r
im p e rfe c t c irc le s. T ip s o f th e sn o u t a n d ta d w h ite .
L e n g th 2 0 '8 in c h e s . T o a n u s lO T in c h e s .
H a b . M o lu c c a s . S p e c im en in th e B v iu sh M u s eum p u r c
h a s e d o f F r a n k s , who h a d i t from th e L e y d e n Museum .
O p h is u r u s s u g il l a t u s . R ic h a rd so n .
T h e O p h isu ru s s em ic in c tu s a n d p a r d a lis , w h ic h a re
sp o tte d m u c h lik e su g illa tu s , diffe r in th e ir m u c h sm a le r
p e c to r a ls a n d c o n ic a l-o b tu s e le e lh , with sm a lle r m o u th s ;