The natural history of fishes, amphibians, & reptiles, or monocardian animals . us related, we may proceed to abrief survey of the component parts of this tribe, whoseinternal groups may be thus named and defined:—1. TheGymnetridce, where the ventral fins are either composedof filaments {fig. 8.), without connecting rays, or obso-lete, or entirely wanting. 2. The Trachypteridoe, havingthe ventral fins perfectly formed, with connecting rays,as in the generahty of fishes. These two are the mosttypical divisions, and include all those genera where theanal fin is altogether wanting. The remainder,
The natural history of fishes, amphibians, & reptiles, or monocardian animals . us related, we may proceed to abrief survey of the component parts of this tribe, whoseinternal groups may be thus named and defined:—1. TheGymnetridce, where the ventral fins are either composedof filaments {fig. 8.), without connecting rays, or obso-lete, or entirely wanting. 2. The Trachypteridoe, havingthe ventral fins perfectly formed, with connecting rays,as in the generahty of fishes. These two are the mosttypical divisions, and include all those genera where theanal fin is altogether wanting. The remainder, or aber-rant forms, as usual, are very few. Of the Pteraclidcsand the StylephoridcBy we know not, at present, of morethan a single genus in each. The first {fig. 9.) hasthe compressed silver-plated body of the Gymnetridce,and the fins of the dolphins; yet their excessive breadthis beyond all parallel, for they far exceed those of As-trodermus. Stylephorus, again, is even a still more ex-traordinary form, bearing perfect analogy to the pipefish 48 CLASSIFICATION OF {SyngnathidcB), as well as to Fistularia, Last of all comethe Ophidonidce, having a thicker and more robust structure : they are per- 9 A\\\\\\\\V\ fectly eel-shaped, both in their long, slimy, andbut slightly compressedbodies, and in the totalabsence of ventral fins:like those fishes, also^which they thus strik-ingly resemble, the dor-sal and anal fins areunited, without there be-ing any distinct Ophidians, however,are immediately knownfrom all the Anguilliformtypes by their branchia, the opening of which is verywide, while that of the Apodes is invariably contractedto a spiracle. The species, as yet, do not exceed four orfive, and they are all rather small fishes. None of theGymnetres, indeed, appear to be valuable as articles offood. In many countries they are looked upon by thefisherman with a superstitious feeling, andbelieved to be poisonous. The specimen of the LophotesSiculus,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubj, booksubjectfishes, booksubjectreptiles
