"Marine or fresh-water carnivorous fishes, with subcylindrical scaled bodies, and feeble dentition."
Distribution.—All temperate and tropical seas, from Scotland and New York to the Straits of Magellan and Tasmania.
Atherina presbyter occurs in British seas. Species of Atherina and Atherinichthis are found in fresh-water lakes and rivers in Europe, America, and Australia.
Family 38.—MUGILIDÆ. (3 Genera, 78 Species.)
"Fresh-water and marine fishes, with oblong compressed bodies, cycloid scales, and small mouths, often without teeth."
Distribution.—Coasts and fresh waters of all temperate and tropical regions.
Mugil (66 sp.) is mostly marine, and is very widely distributed; several species (Grey Mullets) occur on the British coasts. Agonostoma (9 sp.) is confined to the fresh waters of the West Indies, Central America, New Zealand, Australia, Celebes, and the Comoro Islands. Myxus (3 sp.) is marine, and occurs both in the Atlantic and Pacific.
Family 39.—OPHIOCEPHALIDÆ. (2 Genera, 26 Species.)
"Fresh-water fishes, with elongate subcylindrical scaled bodies; often leaving the water for a considerable time."
Distribution.—Rivers of the Oriental region:—India, Ceylon, China, Malay Islands to Philippines and Borneo.