458 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



coast. Many of them inhabit considerable depths in the ocean. The 

 young often difter widely in appearance from the adult. 



(i:<-ri/<-iiltr (riiuther, i, 8-50; exclusive of certain genera.) 



a. Dorsal Gn continuous, the spiuous part short ; anal spines 3 ; abdomen serrated. 



HOPLOSTETIIUS, iJ38. 

 aa. Dorsal fiu deeply cinargiuate, the spinous part long ; anal spines 4. 



JIoLOCENTRUS, 2?!0. 



238. HOPL,OTETHUS Guv. & Val. 



(Cuvier & Valmcicnnes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. iv, 4G3, 1823: type Hoplostcthus mcditerra- 

 in a x Cuv. &. Val.) 



Body short and deep, much compressed. Head short, compressed, 

 very blunt anteriorly, deeper than long, with very conspicuous mucous 

 cavities. Eye very large. Mouth very oblique, the jaws equal when 

 the mouth is closed. Maxillary long, broad behind, with a distinct sup- 

 plemental bone, which reaches the posterior border of the eye. Teeth 

 very line, villiforin, on jaws and palatines, none on the vomer. Sub- 

 orbital with radi iting ridges and a few spines; a vertical ridge on the 

 front of the opercle. Opercle little developed, its spine small or obso- 

 lete; a strong spine at the angle of the preopcrcle; the long vertical 

 limb of the preopercle finely serrated. Gill-membranes separate, five 

 from the isthmus. Branchiostegals 8. Scales moderate or small, 

 ctenoid; lateral line present, its scales enlarged; abdomen with a series 

 of bony plates each, ending in a retrose spine. Dorsal fin continuous, 

 short, the spines graduated, in number; anal with 3 graduated spines; 

 e;m<l;il forked, its rudimentary rays spinous; pectorals low,rather long; 

 vcntrals F, G, rather short. Air-bladder simple. Pyloric cu'ca numerous. 

 Vertcbr;e 114-15. Deep-sea fishes. (o-A<^, armed ; <7rs0?, breast.) 



78?). Dff. tiicdiitcrriioicus C. & V. 



Silvery, rosy in life; fins scarlet, peritoneum and inside of mouth 

 blaeU. K\e very large, much longer than snout, forming aboo.1 one- third 

 t he length of head. Abdominal plates ( .)-l.'! in number. Body above with 

 very small rou<.liish scales; sides nearly or quite 1 naked (in the young 

 example seen), sealy in the adult. Pectorals reaching first soft ray of 

 anal; venlralsto vent: lins rather low. Head L'J, ; depth 1 : ,'. J >. V I , 

 Hi; A. ML s : I, at. |. i',S. Length of specimen .'i inches, lately dredge:! 

 by the I'.S. Fish < 'oinmission off Chesapeake I'.ay. Coasts of Southern 

 Europe. 



(C. fc V. iv, 439; Giinther, i, 9: Traohiohthys SJICCIOSHS Lowe, Fish. .Madeira, G31.) 



