DISCUSSION OK SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 79 



LAMPANYCTUS CEOCODILUS (RlSSO), GoODE and Bean. (Fig. 86.) 



Gasteropeleeus crocodilus, Risso, Ichthyolojjie <Ie Nice, 1810, 357. 



Soopelut crocodilus, RlSSO, Mem. Accad. So. Turin., xxv, 1820, 265, PL s, Fig. 1; Hist, Nat. Europe Mendi- 

 anale, 1826, in, 466.— Raffaele, Mitt. ZoGl. Stat. Naples, i\, 184, PL vn, Fig. 10. 



Height of body one-fifth of total length; length of head two-sevenths. Least depth 

 of tail slightly greater than half the height of body. Head three-fifths as high as long. 

 Bye moderate, contained 5 times in length of head. Posterior margin of preoperculum 



obliquely descending backwards as in L. gemellarii, but in an even sharper angle, to allow 

 for the expansion of the enormous reptile like mouth. The mouth is slightly oblique, 

 curved; the maxillary reaches nearly to the angle of the preoperculum, and is but slightly 

 dilated behind. Origin of the dorsal fin in advance of a point midway between the ex- 

 tremity of the snout and the root of the caudal by a distance equal to space from lobe of 

 snout to posterior margin of orbit and placed farther back than usual in relation to the 

 ventrals, its origin being above the axil of the latter. Caudal large, furcate. Pectoral 

 lanceolate, long, and strong, its tip extending to the vertical from the middle of the 

 dorsal. Scales smooth, those of the lateral line very slightly enlarged. 



Mediolateral photophores, 2; posterolaterals, 2, one above the other, or nearly so. 

 Precaudal photophores in two groups, 2+1 or 3+1, the last at the end of the lateral 

 hue. Number of superauals C+S. Eadial formula: D. 12-13; A. 14; L. lat. 38-39. 



This, one of the rarest of scopelids, has been obtained only from the Mediterranean, in 

 the vicinity of Nice. Giglioli obtained it at Messina in September, 1878. The National 

 Museum has one (No. 40019) from Nice, obtained from the Florence Museum. 



LAMPANYCTUS ALATUS, Goode and Bean, n. a. (Figure 92.) 



Height of the body 5 times in total length (without caudal) ; length of head 3i times. 

 Least depth of tail about one-half greatest height of body. Eye large, its diameter equal 

 to one-third of length of head. Snout short; upper and lower profile deeply curved, and 

 with a median crest; its length less than one-half diameter of eye. Mouth large; length of 

 upper jaw equal to greatest depth of body. Origin of dorsal nearer to tip of snout than to 

 root of caudal. Pectoral fin very long, reaching to at least middle of anal base. Ventral 

 short, not reaching to origin of anal. Anal origin under end of dorsal. Caudal moderate 

 and deeply forked. A small phosphorescent body on the upper and lower edges of the tail 

 at the root of the caudal ; length of lower patch a little greater than diameter of eye. 



Mediolateral photophores, 2; posterolateral, 2, the latter one above the other or nearly 

 so. Preca udals in two groups, 2 + 1 or 3 + 1, the last at the end of the lateral line. Postero- 

 laterals nearly under soft dorsal. Number of superanals, 7+C\ 



Eadial formula: D. 13; A. 17-18; L. lat. 32-33. 



This species is described from three specimens (No. 437(19, U S. N. M.), the largest 55 

 millimeters in length, with an imperfect tail, taken by the Albatross from station 2393, in 

 280 43/ £T. lat, 87° 14' 30" W. Ion., 525 fathoms. 



LAMPANYCTUS GtiNTHERI, Goode and Bean, n. s. (Figure 90.) 



Height of body contained 5J times in total without caudal. Body much compressed. 

 Length of head is contained 3^ times in total. Least depth of tail one-half greatest depth 

 of body. Eye nearly 4 times in length of head. Snout short, about one-half diameter of 

 eye. Mouth oblique, very large, the maxilla extending nearly to angle of preoperculum. 

 .Maxilla very little dilated posteriorly. Length of upper jaw about two-thirds that of head. 

 Dorsal origin a little nearer to tip of snout than to root of ventral, immediately over origin 

 of ventral and eleventh or twelfth scale of lateral line. Anal origin under the sixteenth 

 scale of lateral line, its base short, about two thirds length of head. Adipose fin present, 

 small, entirely behind the base of the anal. Nine rows of scales between its posterior 



