ORDER V. Lophobranchii.
Fam. 1. Solenostomidm.
3 species of Solenostoma.
Fara. 2. Syngnathidm, Pipe Fishes.
First Group. Syngnathina.
2 Siphonostoma, 3 Ichthyocampus, 1 Urocampus, 1 Leptoichthys, 2 Stigmatophora, 1 Protocarnpus, 53 Syn gnathus, 1 Nannocampus, 23 Doryichthys, 3 Ccelonotus 9 Neroplus.
Second Group. Hippocampina, Sea-Horses.
1 Gastrotokeus, 3 Phyllopteryx, 25 Hippocampus, 3 Solenognathus, 2 Acentronura.
Third Group. Pegasid, -Winged Horses.
According to some authors, the pipe fishes, the sea-horses, and the winged sea-horses are assigned to distinct families, viz.—, Syngnathidm, Pipe leishes.—Body prolonged, slender, linear, or angulated ; snout greatly pro longed, cylindrical.; mouth terminal, verticaL Ventral fins absent ; caudal fin wanting in sonae.
Hippocampidm, Sea-Horses.—Head and body compressed ; snout narrow, tubular ; mouth ter minal. Pectorals small ; dorsal single ; caudal fin wanting.
Pegasidw, Winged Sea-Horses.—Body broad, depressed ; snout suddenly contracted, narrow, somewhat protractile ; mouth terminal, beneath. Pectorals generally large ; caudal fin small. They all agree in having the endo - skeleton partially ossified ; exo-skeleton ganoid ; gills tufted (hence the group is named Lophobranchia), in the opercular aperture being small, and the swimming-bladder without an air-duct.
Syngnathus genus has the body elongated, slender, covered with a series of indurated plates arranged in parallel lines. Head long ; both
jaws produced, united, tubular. No ventral fins.
Hippocampus has its jaws united and tubular, the mouth placed at the end. The body com pressed, short, and deep. The whole length of the body and tail divided by longitudinal and transverse ridges, with tubercular points at. the angles of intersection ; both sexes have pectoral and dorsal fins ; the feinales only have an anal fin ; neither has ventral or caudal fins. Hippoi campus brevirostris, the sea-horse, or short-noned hippocampus, habits are very singular.
In certain of tho species of Syngnathus or pipe fishes, the males are furnished with an elongated pouch under tho tail, and in S. aeus the roo is transferred from tho belly of the female to tho pouch of the male. The Ilippocampi or sea horses while swimming maintain an erect position, but grasp with the tail whatever weeds or other objects meet it in the water, and, when fixed, tho ammid intently watches for and darts on prey with great dexterity. 1Vhen two are near, they often twine their tails together. Their eyes move independently of each other, as in the chameleon. Tho species of Pegasus or flying horses inhabit Indian seas ; it has a snout, but the mouth is under their snout, and is moveable. There are two distinct fins behind the pectoral, which are often large, hence the name.