DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 419 



STEINDACHNERIA, <; >i: & lii:.\x, n. g. 



Steindachneria, Goose & Beak, in Agassiz, Three Cruises of the Blake, n, j>. 26, 1888. 



A genus of Macruridce, with large terminal mouth, compressed body, and tapering tail; a 

 short spinous dorsal and a long, soft dorsal fin, the two contiguous. Both dorsals elevated 

 anteriorly; anal tin consisting of a differentiated elevated anterior portion and a very long 

 low portion. Vent in the anterior third of the length. The intermaxillary and mandibular 

 teeth biserial, the outer scries much enlarged. Vomerine teeth present. Head of moderate 

 size, its hones soft and cavernous. Eye large. Gill openings wide, the membranes con- 

 nected anteriorly, but not attached to the isthmus; gill rakers slender, moderately numer- 

 ous. No pseudobranchise. Branchiostegals, 7. Pectorals and ventrals both immediately 

 under the spinous dorsal. Scales thin, cycloid, and deciduous. 



Similar in appearance to Macruronus novcezelandice, from which it differs in several impor- 

 tant particulars: (1) The tail is much more tapering in Steindachneria; (2) the vent is in 

 advance of the end of the anterior third of the body; (3) the anal fin has a distinct elevated 

 portion; (4) vomerine teeth arc present; (5) the bones of the head are soft and cavernous. 

 This remarkable gen us is named in honor of Dr. Frauz Steindachner, Custos of the 

 Imperial Zoological Museum of Vienna. 



STEINDACHNERIA ARGENTEA, Goode aud Beax, u. b. (Figure 351.) 



The head and body are compressed and the tail tapers to a very fine point. Greatest 

 height of the body at the origin of the ventral (.30 millimeters in the type specimen) is 

 contained 7i times in the total length. The height at the anal origin (28 millimeters) is 

 contained about S times in the total length. 



Scales are small, deciduous, cycloid, rows between the lateral line and the origin of the 

 soft dorsal. The origin of the anal is about under the seventeenth row of scales. The 

 length of the head (42 millimeters) is contained 5£ times in the total length. The inter- 

 orbital area equals the length of the snout and nearly one-fifth the length of the head. 

 The postorbital part of the head (22 millimeters) is nearly twice as long as the eye, which 

 is (12 millimeters) slightly more than one fourth the length of the head. The snout is ob- 

 tuse, its length about three-fourths that of the eye. The nostrils are placed nearer to the 

 eye than to the end of the snout; the anterior nostril is nearly circular, the posterior much 

 longer aud slightly concave. No barbel. The maxilla is dilated at the extremity and is 

 somewhat produced downward into an obtuse poiut. It extends nearly to the vertical 

 through the posterior margin of the orbit, and can be concealed under the preorbital. Its 

 length (20 millimeters) is nearly one-half that of the head. The intermaxilla is slightly 

 protractile, much attenuated posteriorly, its length about equal to that of the maxilla. 

 The mandible extends slightly behind the posterior margin of the eye, its length (24 milli- 

 meters) equaling twice the length of the eye. Intermaxillary and mandibular teeth 

 biserial, the outer series enlarged and rather widely set. Some of the enlarged teeth are 

 slightly sagittate at the tip. Vomerine teeth well developed. Upper pharyngeals in two 

 broad, well-developed patches. Gill-rakers slender, about 19 on the first arch, 4 or 5 of 

 which are above the angle. The longest gill-raker is nearly one-half as long as the eye. 



The distance of the first dorsal from the snout (44 millimeters) is nearly one-fifth of 

 the total length. The first spine is elongate, filiform, and when laid backward reaches the 

 fourteenth ray of the second dorsal. The base of the fin about equals the length of the 

 eye. The longest ray of the second dorsal (the second) is about two tilths the length of the 

 head. The rays diminish in size very rapidly, becoming minute at the extremity of the 

 tail. The anal originates under the sixth ray of the second dorsal, not far behind the 

 vent. The anterior elevated portion consists of 10 rays, all of which except the first are 

 divided. The second ray is the longest, its length (24 millimeters) being twice the length 

 of the eye. The last ray is only about one-seventh as long as the second. It is separated by 

 a small membrane from the remaining portion of the tin, which consists of very minute 

 rays, the longest of them scarcely more than 2 millimeters in length. The vent is under 



