182 "ENDEAVOUR" SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



LlONURUS NIGROMACULATUS 



Macrourus nigromaculatus McCulloch, Rec. Austr. Mus. 

 vi ? 5, 1907, p. 346, pi. Ixiii, figs. Ma. 



Four specimens, 130-255 mm. long, resemble the 

 types in all details. The black dorsal spot is very 

 pronounced in all. 



Localities. South-east of Genoa Peak, Victoria, 200 

 fathoms; 5th October, 1914. 



Great Australian Bight, south from Eucla, 350-450 

 fathoms; May, 1913. 



Hitherto this species has been known only from 

 the coast of New South Wales. 



LEPIDOIJHYNCHUS Richardson. 



Macrourus vel Lepidorhynchus Richardson, Ichth. 



Erebus and Terror, pt. 4, 1846, p. 53 (denticulatus) . 

 Macrurus, subgeuus Optonurus Giinther, Challenger 



Rept., Zool. xxii, 1887, pp. 124, 147 (denticulatus). 



Optonurus was separated from Macrurus (= Cory- 

 phcenoides) by Giinther on account of its heterodont 

 intermaxillary teeth, the outer ones being strong and 

 widely spaced, and the inner forming a villiform band; 

 the mandibular teeth are strong and form a single row; 

 no teeth on the palate. A membrane connecting the first 

 gill-arch with the inner side of the cheek restricts the 

 opening of the first gill-slit. Gill-rakers tubercular, about 

 thirteen on the lower limb of the second arch. Pseudo- 

 branchiae rudimentary, represented by ciliated folds. Six 

 branchiostegal rays. First dorsal with a smooth spine; 

 anal rays much longer than those of the second dorsal. 

 Pectoral normal, not pedunculate. Anus before the anal 

 fin, not preceded by a naked fossa. Scales of moderate 

 size, closely beset with numerous spines. Chin with a 

 barbel. 



Status. According to Gilbert and Hubbs (Proc. 

 U.S. Nat. Mus. li, 1916, p. 163) the dental characters and 

 the armature of the dorsal spine are variable within 

 Coryphcenoides, and they suggest the identity of 

 Optonurus with that genus. I have no species of 

 Coryphwnoides with characters approaching those of 

 Optonurus for comparison, and therefore retain the 

 genus only because its validity has not been definitely 

 disproved. 



