56 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



ward than in B. atlanticus, the length of the postanal portion of the body being greater 

 than that of the head, and contained 3J times in the total without caudal. The ventral fins 

 are placed opposite the posterior portion of the base of the dorsal. 



Although the scales have all disappeared, it would seem that there had been about 32 

 longitudinal rows; and their size may be judged of by the fact that there were 7 rows 

 between the base of the pectoral and the vertical from the origin of the. ventral. Adipose 

 fin slender and long, its length equal to one-half of the diameter of the eye. 



Eadial formula: D.9; A. 19; V. 1); P. 10. 



Several specimens have been obtained by the Fish Commission steamer Albatross: One 

 (No. 33510, Q. S. K. M.), 5* inches in length, from station 20!>4, in 39° 44' 30" N. lat., 71°04' 

 W. Ion., at a depth of 1022 fathoms; another. 5f inches in length, from station 2711, in 

 3SQ 59' N. hit,, 70Q07' W. Ion., at a depth of 1344 fathoms; a third specimen (No. 39480, U. S. 

 KM.), about 4£ inches in length, from station 2572, in 40° 29' N. hit., 00"04'W. Ion., at a 

 depth of 1769 fathoms. 



This species is named in honor of Mr. J. H. Benedict, of the U". S. National Museum, 

 for several years the resident naturalist of the Albatross. 



Family SYNODONTlDyE. 



Synodontithr, GtLL, Arr. Fain. Fishes, 1872, 16.— JORDAN, Cat. Fish. X. A.. 1885, ::'.•. 



Body elongate, subcylindrical, or somewhat compressed, covered with cycloid or ctenoid- 

 scales. Mouth wide, tin' entire margins of the upper jaw formed by the slender elongate 

 premaxillaries, to which are adherent the slender niaxillaries, which are sometimes rudi- 

 mentary or absent. Teeth in jaws usually in cardiform bands, with linger teeth, usually 

 deprcssible, among them ; teeth usually also on palatines and on tongue (absent in Bathy- 

 sy ii i ill iis, and in some of the species of Chlorophthalmus). N<> barbels. < i i II membranes sep- 

 arate, free. Adipose tin present (except sometimes in Bathysaurus). Dorsal tin short, of 

 soft rays. Anal moderate. Pectorals and ventrals present. Caudal forked. A tendency 

 to erratic"development in the tin rays. Air bladder small or absent. No photophores. 



KEY I'D THE GENERA OF SVNi (DONTII >.l.. 



I. Maxillary narrow behind. Body subcylindrical, rather elongate. Month very wii!e. Dorsal median. 



A. Snout conical : teeth not barbed. 



1. Tongue with teeth. Ventrals close behind pectorals. Dorsals with 13 rays or less. 



a. Palatine teeth in single band on eaeli side SYNODCS 



b. Palatine teeth in double bands [Saurida] 



2. Tongue toothless. Ventrals Car behind pectorals. I lorsal with 20 lays Bathylaco 



B. Snout broad, depressed. Teeth barbed; fang-like. 



1. Tongue toothed. Ventrals close to pectorals. Dorsal with is rays Bathysaurus 



II. Maxillary rudimentary or absent. Body elongate, rather compressed. Month extremely wide. 

 A. Snout short. Head thick. Teeth cardiform, unequal, the largest in the tower jaw barbed. 

 1. Tongue small, with teeth. Pectoral small, very high. Ventrals very far from pectoral. 



Harpokon 



SYNODUS, (Gronov.), Scopoli. 



Symodiis, Gronov. Scopoli, Int. Nat. Hist., 1777, I'll!.— Schneider, Bloch's Syet. Ichth., 1801, 396 (type, 

 Esox si/nndus, Gron.).— Jordan and Gilbert, Bull, xvi, I*. S. N. M., 279. 



Saurus, Ccvier, Regne Animal, 1st ed., 1817, 169; 2ded., n, 313 (type, Salmo saurus, L.). — CuviERand Valen- 

 ciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., xxn, 457. — Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., v, 394. 



Body elongate, subcylindrical. Head depressed, the snout triangular, rather pointed. 

 Interorbital region transversely concave. Mouth very wide; premaxillary not protractile, 

 long and strong, more than half length of the head; maxillary closely connected with it, 

 very small or obsolete. Premaxillary with one or two series of large compressed knife- 

 shaped teeth, the inner and larger depressible. Palatine teeth similar, smaller, in a single 

 broad band, bower jaw with a band of rather large teeth, the inner and larger teeth 

 depressible; a patch of strong, depressible teeth on the tongue in front, and a long row along 



