KILLIFISH. Any of the minnow-like North American fresh-water fishes of the family Pweil (fornierly called Cyprinodontid:c, and erro neously associated with the Cyprinid:c). The body is elongate, compressed behind and usually depressed at the head: and both are covered with rather large cycloid scales. The mouth is small, extremely protractile. and provided With small teeth; the•lower jaw usually projects, and the pharyngeal born.; are not armed, as in the Cy prinidx. The sexes are usually milika, and some of the species are viviparous. In these the anal tin of the male is modified into an intromittent organ. The species are numerous, but none at tains a large size, and some are extremely small. They inhabit the fresh-water streams. brackish water and bays of America, Southern Europe. Africa, and Asia. The family includes tin top ininDOws and mummichog, and the interesting an ableps, or four-eyed fish. :Man• of the species are extremely resistant and have become adapted to very diverse habitats. There are 30 genera and about ISO species. The name killifish is
especially applied to the genus •unduhis, (-Wetly American, whose species are the largest of the cyprinodonts, and seine very brightly eolored. Jordan says that they are oviparous and feed ehielly on animals. Some of them live on the bottom and bury themselves in the mud of estu aries; others frequent river channels and bays and swim freely. and still others, called lop-min no•s,' remain on or near the surface, and feed on floating insects in streams and swamps. The largest species of the eastern coastal region is Fundulus majalis, also called 'May-fish': a lesser or even more familiar form is the 'nunniniehog,' 'cobbler.' or (Fundalus heteroelitus), which is to he mot with in every pool and stream of brackish water from Maine to Texas. A Flor ida species is called 'sac-Adak! They are useful for bait, and make interesting pets in an aqua rium. See Plate of KILLIFISDES AND TOP-:\IIN NOWs.