DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 9") 



Family MAUROLICID^E. 



Cor, Una. GONTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mns., v, 1804, 3S7 (group under Stentoptyehida). 



MaurolUidir, Giix (MS.). 



Body somewhat elongate, compressed, scaleless. Barbels Done. Margin of the apper 

 jaw formed by the maxillary and intermaxillary, both of which are provided with teeth. 

 Opercular apparatus incomplete. Gill opening very wide, tl ater branchial arch extend- 

 ing forward to behind the symphysis of the lower jaw. Psendobranchise present. Air 

 bladder none. Adipose tin rudimentary. Series of luminous phosphorescent spots along 

 the lower side of the bead, tail, and body. A single dorsal tin, without spinous rays. The 

 remarkable form Op tat hup root us, Vaillaut (fig. 112), perhaps belongs here. 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



I. Gill rakers very short, dorsal fin nearly in middle of length of body Ichthyococcus 



II. Gill rakers very long, dorsal tin on hinder half of body Maurolicus 



ICHTHYOCOCCUS, Bonaparte. 



Ichthyococcus, Bonaparte, Faun. Dal., Pesei, Fase. xxvn, 1840. 

 Coccia, GUnther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., v, 1864, 387. 



Body compressed, naked, silvery ; phosphorescent bodies upon the lower parts. Mouth 

 moderate. Maxillary bones dilated, forming nearly the entire margin of the upper jaw r ; 

 intermaxillaries small; lower jaw included. Teeth inconspicuous, a few near the symphysis 

 of the lower jaw, while the edge of the maxillary is finely serrated. Eyes moderate in size, 

 separated by a very narrow interorbital area. Pectorals placed very low. Ventrals pres- 

 ent. Dorsal nearly median. Adipose fin rudimentary. Anal moderate. Caudal forked. 

 Gill opening extensive, outer branchial arch reaching to behind the symphysis of the lower 

 jaw, with numerous short gill rakers. 



The recent tendencies of opinion among American zoologists are not in accord with the 

 action of Dr. Giiuther in substituting Coccia for Ivhthyocuccus. 



ICHTHYOCOCCUS OVATUS (Cocco), Bonaparte. (Figure 113.) 



Gonostomus oratus, Cocco, Lett, su Salmoni, 9, pi. I, fig. 3. 



Ichthyococcus ovatus, Bonaparte, Faun. Ital., Pesci, Fase. xxvn, 1840, figure. — Vaillant, Exp. Sei. Travail- 



leur et Talisman, 104, pi. xiv, fig. 2, 2a. 

 Scopelus ovatus. Cuvier and Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 453. 

 Coccia ovata, GOnther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., v, 388. 



This form, known since the days of Bonaparte, from the Mediterranean, was obtained 

 by the French explorers in 1882 off the coast of Portugal at 950 meters, and off Morocco at 

 2,030 meters. It has not yet been found in the western Atlantic. 



MAUROLICUS, Cocco. 



Maurolicus, Cocco, Lett. s. Salmoni, 32 (type, Maurolicus amcthystino-punctatus, Cocco). — Glnther, Cat. 

 Fish. Brit. Mus., v, 388. 



Body oblong, compressed, naked, covered with silvery pigment; phosphorescent spots 

 along the lower parts. Head compressed, with hones thin, but ossified. Cleft of mouth 

 wide, oblique, lower jaw slightly prominent. Maxillary large, broad, much produced back- 

 wards, receiving the slender premaxillary in the upper concave part of its margin. Both 

 jaws with minute teeth. Gill opening very wide. Gill rakers very long. Pectorals and 

 ventrals developed. Dorsal on hinder half of body, but before anal. Adipose fin rudi- 

 mentary. Anal tin long, in two portions, the posterior half with its rays hidden beneath the 

 skin. Branchiostegals, 8 or 9. (Abridged from Giinther.) 



