72O TELEOSTEI CHAP. 



Fam. 3. Antennariidae. Mouth large, vertical or very 

 oblique, turned upwards, with cardiform teeth. Gill-opening in 

 or behind lower axil of pectoral ; pseudobranchiae absent. 

 Pectoral fin forming an elbow-like angle, with three pterygials. 

 Ventral with 4 or 5 rays. Spinous dorsal present. Skin naked 

 or spinulose. 



About 40 species, referable to 5 genera : Pteropliryne, An- 

 tennarius, Brachionichthys, Saccarius, and Chaunax. 



The species of Antennarius live mostly in coral groves, where 

 they lie in wait for prey, well concealed by their protective 

 coloration and the harmonising aspect of their integument and 

 appendages. To this genus also belongs the " Marbled Angler " 

 {A. marmoratus), carried about in mid ocean among the Sargassum 

 weed, to rest on which, from its peculiar arm-like pectoral fins, 

 it is specially fitted ; there it makes its wonderful nest of silk- 

 like fibres, probably secreted by the parent as in the Sticklebacks, 

 with large bundles of eggs hanging like grape clusters. 1 The 

 deep-sea Chaunax inflates its abdomen like Tetrodon. 



Fam. 4. Gigantactinidae. Mouth inferior, snout produced 

 into a long tentacle directed forwards, and bearing a luminous 

 organ. Body covered with small spines. Otherwise as in the 

 Ceratiidae. Gigantactis varihoeffeni, of Brauer, from the Indian 

 Ocean, at depths of about 1000 fathoms. 



Fam. 5. Malthidae. Mouth rather small, subterminal or 

 inferior, with villiform or cardiform teeth. Gill-opening above 

 pectoral ; pseudobranchiae absent. Pectoral fin forming an 

 elbow-like angle, with three pterygials. Ventral with 5 rays. 

 Spinous dorsal absent, or reduced to a more or less developed 

 tentacle lodged in a cavity under the snout. Head and body 

 with bony tubercles or spines. 



About 3-0 species are known, mostly from the deep sea within 

 the tropics (down to 1270 fathoms). Principal genera: Coelophrys, 

 Malthe, Malthopsis, Halieutaea, Halicmethes, Dibranchus. 



The " Bat-Fish " {Malthe vespertilio}, common in shallow water 

 about the West Indies, is said to assume an almost toad-like 

 attitude on the ground, the head being directed slightly upwards, 

 while the pectorals take on the function of hind legs and the 

 ventrals of fore legs. 



1 Cf. A. Agassiz, Amer. Journ. Sci. (3), iii. 1872, p. 154 ; J. M. Jones, Nature, 

 xix. 1879, p. 363 ; Vaillant, C. . Soc. Biol. (8), iv. 1887, p. 732. 



