Ophiocephalidæ (of"iosefalide)

pl. [NL., covered with small scales, and a snake-like head shielded on top with large scales, a long spinele dorsal fin, and usually six-rayed thoracic ventrals. These remarkable fishes breathe air by means of an air-chamber developed over the gills, and die if they breathe water too long. They live in holes in the banks of rivers and pools and similar wet places, and often burrow in the mud. There are 25 or 30 species, natives of the fresh waters of the East Indies and Africa, and some attain a length of from 2 to 4 feet. They are able to survive droughts, living in semi-fluid mud or lying torpid below the hard-baked crust of a tank or pool from which every drop of water has dried up. Respiration is probably suspended during this torpidity, but while the mud is still soft enough to let them come to the surface they rise at intervals to breathe air. This faculty of aërial respiration is due to the development of the acces sory branchial chamber; there is, however, no acce ory branchial organ, and the opening of the cavity is partly closed by a fold of mucous membrane. ophiocephaloid (of"i-o-sef'a-loid), a. and n. I. a. Resembling an ophiocephalus; belonging to the Ophiocephalida, or having their charac ters. II. n. A fish of the family Ophiocephalida . Ophiocephalus (of"i-o-sef'a-lus), n. [NL., ὀφωκέφαλος , serpent-headed, όφις , a serpent, + κεφαλή, a head.] 1. The typical genus of walking-fishes of the family Ophiocephalidæ. The species are natives of the East. They are furnished with a cavity to supply water to the gills, and are able to live a long time out of water, and often travel considerable distances from one pool to another. The O. gachua (the coramota or gachua of India) is much used for food by the natives. It is generally brought to market and cut up for sale while living. Also, improperly, Ophicephalus . Bloch and Schneider , 1801. 2. [l. c.] A member of this genus. Ophiocoma (of-i-ok'ō-mä), n. [NL., O. æthiops and O. alexandri are two large spe cies from the Pacific coast of North America. Ophiocomide (of i-ō-kom'i-dē), n. pl. [NL., coma, having unbranched arms, the disk covered with solid plates, the oral clefts armed, and angular papillæ present.