LUCIFUGA AND STYGICOLA. 187 



8. Muhse, E. F. The eyes of Typhlops Uimbricalis (L.)> a blind snake from Cuba. Biol. Bull., v, pp. 261- 



270, Oct. 1903. 



9. Pike, F. H. The degenerate eyes in the Cuban cave shrimp, Palmmonetes eigenmanni Hay. Biological 



Bulletin, XI, pp. 267-276, 1906. 



10. Payne, F. The eyes of Amphisbana punctata (Bell), a blind lizard from Cuba. Biol. Bull., XI, pp. 60- 



70, plates I and II, July 1906. 



11. Weckel, A. L. The fresh-water Amphipoda of North America. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xxxit. De- 



scribing a new Amphipod, Gammarus ccccus, from the Modesta Cave, Cuba. pp. 47-49, 1907. 



12. Haseman, J. D., and Mclndoo, Norman N. On some fishes of Western Cuba. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 



Phil., 1906. 



ZOOLOGICAL POSITION OF LUCIFUGA AND STYGICOLA. 



Lucifuga and Stygicola are members of the Brotulidae, of which Jordan and 

 Evermann say: "These fishes are closely related to the Zoarcidae. In spite of 

 various external resemblances to the Gadidae, their affinities are rather with the 

 blennioid forms than with the latter." 



They are most closely related to the genera Brosmophycis and Ogilbia, with 

 which they have a distinct caudal peduncle in contradistinction to the numerous 

 other American genera of the family. Brosmophycis marginatus (Ayres) occurs 

 on the coast of California in moderate depth. Ogilbia ventralis (Gill) occurs in 

 rocky pools about the Gulf of California and at La Paz. The other member of the 

 genus, Brosmophycis cayorum, was taken on a shoal covered with algae at Key West. 



Other members of the family are found at great depths in various parts of the 

 world; one, Brotala barbata, occurs about Cuba in water of moderate depth. 



The genera Lucifuga and Stygicola differ from each other in their dentition. 

 Stygicola has teeth on the palatines; Lucifuga has none. In Stygicola the nape 

 is more strongly arched than in Lucifuga. The maximum recorded size of Stygi- 

 cola is 152 mm. ; of Lucifuga, 104 mm. 



PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SEXUAL CHARACTERS. 



The male organ of Stygicola consists of a conical papilla, two-lobed at the tip 

 and surrounded by a dermal pouch. It reaches to the second or third anal ray, 

 being turned either to one side or the other of the anal. It is pigmentless, but is 

 covered from in front by a pigmented dermal flap. 



In color, Lucifuga varies from a faint pink to lilac-pink and lilac. There is, 

 in general, an increase of pigment with age. Stygicola varies from pinkish lilac to 

 steel-blue, with transparent edges to the fins. There is no regular increase of color 

 with age in this species nor is there any distinction in the sexes. Both black and 

 light-colored individuals are found side by side in caves. It is possible that light- 

 colored individuals have lived in the remote recesses of the cave and that the black 

 ones have remained in the lighted chambers, but there is no direct evidence on this 

 point. 



The males of Stygicola are distinctly larger than the females. The average 

 length of 137 females caught is 98.2 mm., the largest one being 140 mm. The 

 average size of the 82 males is 107 mm., the largest one being 152 mm. long. In 

 the first lot secured the males were in excess of the females in the ratio of 100 

 females to 115 males. In all I have 137 females to 82 males. Counting the first 

 43 specimens secured, there is but an appreciable difference in the average of the 

 fins as far as these could be counted, the average formula for the female being, D. 

 91.4; A. 74; and for the males D. 91. 1; A. 73.3; or the average for the two, 

 D. 91.2; A. 73.6. 



