DISCUSSION" OF SPECIES AND TIII'.IK DISTKir.l riuN. 



343 



ALEXETERION, VaillaiH. 

 Alexelerion, Vaim.axt, Exp. Sci. Travailleur et Talisman, Poissons, 282. 



Brotulids haying ;i scaleless body, head short; lower jaw curved up in front of the 

 upper one so that the mouth opens vertically; yery fine teeth on the jaws, vomer and pala- 

 tines toothless. Bye rudimentary. No barbel. Gill-opening yery wide. Branchiostegal 

 membrane free. Vent very far from the throal and uearlyin the middle of the length of 

 the fish. Vertical tins beginning far hack, the dorsal origin being over the vent an. I con 

 tiucnl at the tail. Pectorals broad, fan-shaped; ventrals absent. 



ALEXETEBION PARFAITI, Vaillant. (Figure 300.) 

 Alaceterion Parfaiti, Vaillant, Exp. Soi. Travailleur et Talisman, 283, pi. xx\ . Figs. 2. 2a, 26. 



Body elongate, compressed (especially posteriorly), its greatest height being scarcely 

 one sixth cif the thickness above the pectorals, and one-eighth of the total length. 



Length of head one sixth of total length; its globular form gives it a very singular ap- 

 pearance, suggestive of Uranoscopus and Synanceia. The head appears as if it wen- truncated 

 Lnfront; the snout occupies the upper portion of the truncation. The mouth is shaped 

 like a horseshoe and is placed vertically, the lower jaw being entirely outside of the open 

 ing, while the two mandibles are strongly curved. The intermaxillary is narrow, nearlj 

 as long as the maxillary, which is expanded at its posterior extremity. 



Teeth fine, uniform in size, upon the mandible and on the anterior portion of the inter- 

 maxillary. No teeth visible upon the vomer or palatines. The eye is rudimentary, very 

 small, its diameter about one-fifth of the length of the head, so that it looks like a black 

 pigmentary spot, and is scarcely visible in the fresh specimen. Branchial opening broad. 



Vent near the middle of the body. No trace of scales in the lateral line visible. 



Vertical tins confluent, the dorsal beginning in the vertical from the vent and nearly 

 opposite the origin of the ventral, the rays being excessively delicate. Pectorals extending 

 to the vertical from the origin of the dorsal. No ventrals. 



Color, roseate while. 



Measun mi »'•-. 



Milli- 

 meters. 



Length 



Height 



Thickness 



Length of bead 



Length of caudal lin 



Length of snout 



Diameter of eye 



Width "!' interorbital spar,- 



42 



7 



:. 

 7 



7 

 3 



(I.; 

 4 



lOOths. 



10 

 111 

 1(1 

 IG 

 43 



A single specimen was taken at the French station cxxxvn, North Atlantic, at the 

 depth of J,U05 meters. 



BELLOTTIA, Giglioli. 

 Bellottia, GIGLIOLI, Zoolop;isrlinr Anzrigpr, vi, 399 (July. 1883.) 



Brotulids with the form and proportions of Pteridium; body covered with smooth. 

 adhesive scales of very small dimension. Byes small. Vertical fins united, ventrals absent. 

 Lower jaw with a band of small teeth, sharp and numerous, intermingled with a few coni- 

 cal ones, somewhat larger; upper jaw with a villi t'oini band of very minute teeth: sharp 

 teeth on the vomer and palate, disposed in a semicircular arch, .laws equal anteriorly, the 

 upper one expanded posteriorly as in Pteridium. No barbel. Branchial rays 1. Gills with 

 4 long branchial appendages; branchial aperture large. Air-bladder present. 



