Griffin. — Four Fishes new to New Zealand. 351 



Art. XXXVI. — Descriptions (with Illustrations) of Four Fishes new 



to New Zealand. 



By L. T. Griffin, F.Z.S., Assistant in the Auckland Museum. 



[Read before the Auckland Institute, 15th December, 1920; received by Editor, 31st 

 December, 1920 ; issued separately, 8th August, 1921.] 



Plates LIV, LV. 



During the past two or three years a good deal of systematic work has 

 been done in the Auckland Museum in investigating the fish fauna of 

 New Zealand, this work having been made possible by the advent of the 

 trawling industry in the waters of the Auckland Provincial District. It 

 is now thought desirable that particulars of exceptional interest should be 

 placed on record. It is now possible, with the co-operation of the owners 

 and masters of the boats, to obtain much fresh material ; and good results 

 are anticipated from this source, which will not only add to our collections, 

 but also enable us to gain a better knowledge of local marine life generally. 

 The following are descriptions of four species new to our fish fauna, 

 and are of particular interest, as three of them belong to genera not 

 previously known from New Zealand. 



Family MYRIDAE. 



Genus Muraeniohthys Bleeker. 



Muraenichthys breviceps Giinther. (Plate LIV, fig. 1.) 



Muraeniohthys breviceps Giinther, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (4), vol. 17, 

 p. 401, 1876 ; McCulloch, Biol. Results, " Endeavour;' pt. 1, 

 p. 21, fig. 7, 1911. 



Body vermiform, scaleless, its greatest depth being rather more than 

 3 in the head. Head, by including its own length, is 10 times in the total, 

 or 34; in the trunk, the latter measurement taken from the posterior margin 

 of gill-opening to vent. Eye small, about 3 in the snout, which is 4^ in 

 the head. Snout short, broad. The muscles on the occiput are swollen, 

 rendering the upper profile concave. Anterior nostrils placed near the 

 end of snout and contained in a small tube, the orifice of which is divided 

 by a thin membrane, forming two single openings. A flap overhanging the 

 lips covers the posterior nostril, which is situated just before and below the 

 eye. Cleft of mouth extends far behind the eye. The lower jaw closes 

 within the upper, and has a row of widely-spaced pores throughout its 

 length. Pores are also found on upper surface of head and behind the eye. 

 Tongue immovable. Teeth granular, obtusely pointed, and partly embedded 

 in the membrane of mouth ; they are arranged in a triple series on the 

 palate, and in a single series in the jaws. Lateral line arched above the 

 branchial sac, but from this point it continues in a straight line to the tip 

 of tail. There is a row of numerous minute pores placed below and at 

 short distances apart throughout its length. Dorsal and anal fins very 

 low, many-rayed, and placed within a shallow groove ; they extend round 

 the end of tail. Origin of the dorsal much nearer the head than vent, 

 whilst the origin of the anal is 52 mm. from centre of total length. Gill 

 opening small, with its upper anterior margin dilated. 



