200 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



PROMETHICHTHYS, Gill. 



Prometheus, Lowe, Trans. Zool. Soc, London, n, 181; Proc. Zoiil. Soc, London, 1839, 78; Fishes of Madeira, 



141.— Gill, Proc. Aead. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1862, 126. 

 Promethichthys, Gill, Mem. Acad. Nat. Sci., vi. 1893. 



Scombroids with elongate, slender, fusiform body, long spinous dorsal, pectorals com 

 paratively low. caudal without keels, ventrals represented by a pair of minute spines, 

 unlets above and below, two in number, no dagger-shaped spine behind vent. Preoper- 

 culum unarmed. Lateral line descending in strongly oblique line, below the front of the 

 spinous dorsal. 



PROMETHICHTHYS PROMETHEUS (C. & V.) Gill. 



Till: BERMUDA CATFISH. 



Gempylus promethean. Webu and Berthelot, Pnissons, lies Canar. , 51, pi. xi. — Cuvier and Valenciennes, 



Hist. Nat. Poiss., vm, 213, pi. 222 (Saint Helena, (Jnoy and Gaimard). 

 Thyrsiteg prometheus, Gunther, Cat Fish. Brit. Mas., n. 351; Challenger Report, xxn, 1887, 268. (Madeira, 



Rev. R. T. Lowe.) — Goode, Amer. Jour. Sci., xiv, 1877, 291 (occurrence in Bermuda). 

 ? Gempylus prometheus, Cuvier and Valenciennes, op. cit., 213, pi. 222. 

 Prometheus atlanticus, Lowe, Trans. Zool. Soc. Loudon, n, 181; Proc. Zool. Soc, 1839, Ts; Fishes of Madeira, 



i, 141, pi. xx.— Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1862, 126.— POEY, Synopsis. 364; Euuni. Pise. Cuben- 



sinm, 74. 

 t Gempylus Solandri, Cuvier and Valenciennes, op. cit., 215 (on description by Solander of individual 3 



feet long from New Holland). 

 Promethichthys atlanticus. Gill. loc. cit. 



Height of body one-eighth of its total length; length of head two-ninths. Lateral line 

 curves downward under origin of first dorsal. Ventral represented by a single spine in 

 advance of the pectoral. 



Radial formula: 1). 18 | 21 + n (in); A. 16 | n (in); V. 1. 



Color, silver gray, the spinous dorsal darker. 



This fish, the " Coelho " or Eabbit Fish of Madeira, lives habitually at the bottom, and 

 is taken at most seasons at a depth of from 100 to 300 or 400 fathoms, and in the summer 

 months, according to Lowe, it is generally one of the commonest and cheapest fishes in the 

 market, where it is sold in bundles, chiefly to the Portuguese. It breeds iu August and 

 September, and attains a length of 30 millimeters. 



Several specimens were obtained in Bermuda in 1S77 by Dr. Goode. The fishermen 

 obtain it at a depth of 60 to 100 fathoms, and it is known to them as the "Catfish." 



DICROTUS, Gunther. 

 Dicrotus, Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. 11,1860, 349. (Type, D. armatus.) 



Body rather elongate, compressed ; cleft of the mouth wide. The first dorsal continuous, 

 with the spines of moderate strength, and extending on to the second; finlets none. Ven- 

 tral reduced to a long, crenulated spine. Preoperculum with several spines at the angle. 

 Body naked. Several strong canines in the jaws; minute teeth on the vomer and the 

 palatine bones. No keel on the tail. Seven branchiostegals. Pseudobranchiie. 



The fishes assigned to this genus are always small. They will perhaps prove to be the 

 young of Prometheus or Gempylus. 



DICROTUS ARMATUS, Gunther. 



Dicrotus armatus, Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., n, 1860, 349. 



The height of the body is 6£ in the total length, the length of the head 3£ The maxillary 



