504 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



Branchiae two and one-half, the first arch without lamella-. Branchial apertures 

 anterior to pectoral, upon disk. 



Superoral cavity small, containing a tentacle (representing aborted first dorsal), which 

 is very retractile. 1 



Soft dorsal fin, few rayed, inserted at junction of disk with trunk. Anal fin few rayed. 

 Pectorals large, carpus slender, not oxserted, horizontally placed. < Saudal rounded. 



Ectoderm sparingly armed above with stellate tubercles, the posterior of which upon 

 the disk mark the contour of the skeleton. Under surface smooth. 



Air bladder and pyloric caeca absent, intestine short, stomach siphon-shaped, 

 spermaries bilobate, liver on left side of body. 



HALIEUTICHTHYS ACULEATUS, Mm hill), Goose. (Figures 114 A, I!.) 



Lophius aculeatus, Mitcium , American Monthly Magazine, n, 18ls, 325 (specimen from Straits of Bahama). 



WalieuMcMhys aculeatus, Goode, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., n, 1879, log (calling attention to Mitchill's descrip- 

 tion), in, 467. — Jordan and Gilbert, Bull, xvi, U. S.Nat. Mus., 851. — Goode and Bean, ibid., 333 

 (specimen from Key Wes1 I. — Gill, Proc. I". S. Nat. Mus., v, 556. 



HalieuUchthys retieulatm, Poev, MS. — Gill, Proc Acad. Nat. Sci, Phila., 1863, 91 (specimen frcm Cuba). 



A species of Halieutichthys, with cordiform disc, which is about as wide as long, its 

 length more than two thirds that of the body. Body covered above with stout conical 

 spines with stellular liases, largest, upon the trunk, upon which they axe arranged in about 

 two irregular longitudinal rows on each side of the dorsal; upon the disc they are placed 

 above the principal bones of the skeleton, most abundant upon its cranial portion. A single 

 row of stout spines, usually three-pointed, marks the outer margin of the disc, a particularly 

 large one at each outer angle. Body entirely smooth below. Snout very short, obtuse. 

 Bridge over the rostral cavity covered in front with a. three-pointed spine, having on each 

 side a simple spine. Short, stout, simple spines, upon each supraorbital margin, thefrontof 

 which is immediately above and behind the cavity containing the nostrils. The vertex 

 bears several similar spines. Many spines closely placed upon the humeral area. Numer- 

 ous short tentacles upon the margin of the disc and on the sides of the trunk. The supra- 

 oral cavity is elliptical, small (horizontal diameter two-sevenths diameter of orbit), contain- 

 ing a well-developed, club-shaped, very perceptible tentacle. The width of the opening of 

 the anterior nostril, which is in a short tube, is one-half that of the posterior nostril, which 

 is not tubular. The width of the mouth is much less than the distance between the pupils 

 and is equal to the diameter of the orbit. 



The diameter of the orbit is contained 8J times in distance from snout to base of caudal, 

 times in distance from snout to origin of soft dorsal, (i.\ times in distance to origin of anal, 

 3 times in distance to base of ventrals, and <> times in distance to angle between pectorals 

 and trunk, 4i{ times in distance from snout to gill opening, C in greatest width of disc, and 

 nearly li in that of trunk. Width of interorbital area two-fifths diameter of orbit. 



Dorsal tin with 4 or 5 rays, the longest (1st) equal to diameter of orbit. Anal tin in- 

 serted under third ray of the dorsal, with 1 rays, the third or longest, very slightly longer 

 than the. longest dorsal ray. 



Ventral fins inserted neatly under the middle of the disc, with one rudimentary and 

 5 dorsal rays, increasing in length posteriorly, the last and longest contained 5 times in 

 total length; distances between origins of ventrals <>A in total length. 



Pectorals with peduncles entirely included in common membrane, with blades far 

 back, horizontal, lying close to trunk, composed of Hi rays, the middle or longest 3§ in total 

 length. 



Caudal fin, rounded, composed of 9 rays, the external rays, one above and two below, 

 simple, the others bifid; length of middle ray equal to that of trunk (measured from junc- 

 tion of pectorals to base of caudal rays) and slightly exceeding the longest pectoral ray. 

 Length of intestine contained l{j times iu total length. 



1 The rostral tentacle in Halieutichthys is by no means obsolete, though it is said to be by all who have 

 discussed the genus. 



