the specimens has behind the adipose fin a coalescent, oblong, shining spot, of which Capt. 

 Andrea writes: "the white spot on the tail was golden." 



Localities: 39° N Lat. (?); 20° N. Lat., 50° -48° W. Long.; 34°50' S. Lat., 4°30' W. Long.; 37°40' 

 S. Lat., 12° E. Long. 



No doubt because of the paucity of the original material (four specimens), even those authors 

 who were aware that Liitken had figured a specimen considered by him to be only an anomal- 

 ous form of L. rara, briefly diagnosed in the footnote, were uncertain as to the limitations of 

 the obvious variability. Taning ( 1928), in a brief diagnostic key, gave the name Myctophum 

 interruptum to the form described by Liitken in the footnote and illustrated in fig. 4. Since, 

 however, the two species have often been confused, perhaps again due to a paucity of study 

 material and the lack of detailed descriptions of the original type material. 



The paucity of study material of the genus Loweina is illustrated by the few numbers of 

 authors who have recorded the number of specimens studied (Table 17). It is of interest that 

 despite the many expeditions conducted by various nations, including the recent extensive 

 coverage of the world oceans by the various Soviet vessels, a total of only 54 specimens 

 referable to the genus Loweina have been recorded by all authors from all oceans. It is then of 

 great interest that a total of 93 specimens representing the new species L. laurae have been 

 taken in the eastern Pacific Ocean. 



Because of the basic similarity ofL. rara andL. laurae and the lack of information on L. 

 interrupta, and because of confusion in the early literature, it is now important that a type 

 specimen be formally designated for both L. rara and L. interrupta and that detailed descrip- 

 tions of each be provided. 



Table 17. Previously Reported Numbers and Areas of Capture of Specimens of 

 Genus Loweina 



Author. Date, and Species 

 Area of Capture L. rara L. interrupta L. termmata L. laurae 



Liitken, 1892 



N. Atlantic 2 — — — 



Brauer. 1906 



N. Atlantic 4 9 — — 



Pappenheim, 1914 



S.Atlantic — 1 _ _ 



Tuning. 1928 



N. Atlantic — 2 — — 



Norman, 1930 



S. Atlantic " — 2 — — 



Beebe, 1937 



Bermuda 10* — — 



Beebe and Vander Pyl, 



1944.S. E.Pacific — _ _ 1 



Maul. 1946 



Madeira — 1 — — 



Nybelin, 1948 



N. Atlantic — 1 — — 



Becker, 1964a 



W. Pacific and 



Indian Oceans — — 11 9 (?) 



Nafpaktitis and 



Nafpaktitis, 1969, 



Indian Ocean — 1 — — 



Totals 16 17 11 10 



*Donn E. Rosen (personal communication) reported that these specimens are no longer at the American Museum of 

 Natural History, and, as there is no record of their disposal, they are presumed to be lost. 



77 



