. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. MALACOPTERYGII 547 This family is abundantly represented in Cretaceous times by the genera Osmeroides and Elopopsis, and from the Lower Eocene to the present day by Mops and Megalops. Elops saurus is a handsome elongate silvery Fish, found in all the warm and tropical seas; the young are ribbon-shaped like those of Albida. A second species, E. lacerta, is from the West Coast of Africa, enter- ing rivers. Meijfdops, distinguished by larger scales, the absence of pseudobranchiae, and the curious prolongation of the last ray of the dorsal iin, includes th
. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. MALACOPTERYGII 547 This family is abundantly represented in Cretaceous times by the genera Osmeroides and Elopopsis, and from the Lower Eocene to the present day by Mops and Megalops. Elops saurus is a handsome elongate silvery Fish, found in all the warm and tropical seas; the young are ribbon-shaped like those of Albida. A second species, E. lacerta, is from the West Coast of Africa, enter- ing rivers. Meijfdops, distinguished by larger scales, the absence of pseudobranchiae, and the curious prolongation of the last ray of the dorsal iin, includes the well-known Tarpon M. atlanticus, and the Indian J/, njprinoides. The Tarpon occurs from the ^JS. Fig. 326. .—Tarpon, Megalops atlanticus, much reduced. (After Goode.) south-eastern coasts of Xorth America and the West Indies to Brazil, and reaches a length of 6 feet and a weight of 110 lbs. It often leaps out of the water, after the manner of Grey Mullets, and its chase when hooked affords good sport, the landing of so active a giant being attended with great difficulties. Its remark- ably large scales, over two inches in diameter, are nmch prized for fancy work in the Florida curiosity shops. Fam. 6. Albulidae.—Margin of the upper jaw formed by the praemaxillaries and the maxillaries, the latter movably articulated above the former to the ethmoid. Parietal bones separating the supraoccipital from the frontals; suboperculum large; inter- operculum small and entirely or nearly entirely hidden below the praeoperculum. Basis cranii double. Praemaxillaries, mandible, vomer, palatines, pterygoid, parasphenoid, glossohyal, and pharyn- geals toothed. Eibs sessile, inserted behind and somewhat below small parapophyses, which are absent or merely indicated on the anterior vertebrae, and gradually increase in size towards the caudal region; these parapophyses, as well as the neural and haemal arches, are autogenous bones ; epineurals, no Please note that these images
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