332 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



BARATHRODEMUS MANATINUS, Goode and Bean. (Figure 294.) 



Barathrodemus manatinus, Go : and Bean, Bull. Mns. Comp. Zool., x, 1883, 200. — Jordan, Cat. Fish. N. 



Amer., 1885, 127.— GOnther, Challenger Report, xxn, 1887, 09. 



Body much compressed. Dorsal arid anal outline approaching at an equal angle the 

 horizontal axis. The height of the body is contained 7i times in its total length without 

 caudal, and 8J times with caudal included. Scales small; about 175 rows between the 

 branchial opening and the tail; and about 34 rows, counting upward and forward obliquely 

 from the origin of the anal to the dorsal line. Lateral line apparently absent. 



Head considerably compressed, with rounded upper surface, its length contained about 

 six times in total body length; its width contained 2 J times in its length; its greatest 

 height equals two thirds its length. Snout slightly longer than the horizontal diameter of 

 the eye, and projecting beyond the tip of the upper jaw a distance equal to the vertical 

 diameter of the eye; much dilated and swollen, the anterior pair of nostrils being situated 

 at the most salient angles; the snout in general form resembling that of a manatee, whence 

 the specific name. 



Mouth moderate ; its cleft extending to the vertical from the center of the orbit. Length 

 of the the upper jaw equal to twice the horizontal diameter of the eye, and contained 2A 

 times in the length of the head. The posterior portion of the maxilla is considerably ex- 

 panded. The maxilla is largely included within a skinny sheath. When the mouth is 

 closed, the lower jaw is entirely included within the upper. Vomer and palatine with 

 bands of teeth more than twice as broad as the bands in the intermaxillaries and on the 

 mandible. 



Eye elliptical in form. Its vertical diameter two-thirds of its horizontal, the latter being 

 equal to the distance from the tip of the snout to the posterior nostril, and contained 5] 

 times in the length of the head. The distance of the eye from the dorsal outline is equal 

 to half its horizontal diameter, and to one-fifth of the height of the head in a perpendicular 

 through the center of the eye. Interorbital space rounded; its width equal to the horizon- 

 tal diameter of the eye. 



Dorsal fin inserted in the vertical above the insertion of the pectoral, at a distance 

 from the end of the snout equal to that of the insertion of the pectoral. 



Anal inserted under the twenty-first to tweuty-third dorsal ray, and at a distance from 

 the snout about equal to one-third the body length. The height of the dorsal and anal tins 

 is about equal to half the height of the body at the insertion of the anal. Their bases ex- 

 tend almost to the insertion of the caudal. 



The caudal is composed of 9 rays, the 5 medial ones almost equal in length, though the 

 tip of the tail is slightly rounded, about equal to the height of the body midway between 

 the branchial opening and the base of the tail. 



The ventrals are inserted almost under the middle of the operculum; in length about 

 equal to half the length of the head. 



The pectorals are inserted under the origin of the dorsal, and at a distance behind the 

 branchial opening equal to two thirds the vertical diameter of the eye. The length is equal 

 to the greatest height of the body. 



Radial formula: D. 106; A. 86; C. 2 + 5+2; P. 18-20; V. \. 



Scales in lateral line about 175. 



Color, grayish brown, abdominal region black. 



The types of this species, GJ inches in length, were obtained by the Blake at station 

 ecoxxv, in :5.'5 : ' :;.V 20" N. lat., 76° W. Ion., at a depth of 647 fathoms. The Albatross also 

 secured examples from station 2105, in 37° 5(1' N". hit., 73° 03' 50" W. Ion., at a depth of 

 1395 fathoms; and from station 211G, in 35° 15' 23" N. lat., 74° 31' 25" W. Ion., at a depth 

 of 888 fathoms. 



