196 



Transactions. 



Anterior dorsal fin shorter than the 2nd, length of its base three-tenths 

 of the distance between it and the 2nd dorsal. Anterior end of 1st dorsal 

 distant from the snout by nearly half the total length of the fish. Posterior 

 extremity of pectorals falls short of the anterior end of the 1st dorsal by 

 more than its own length. Posterior extremity of claspers reaching to 

 vertical from half-way along free posterior border of 2nd dorsal. 



Total length, 803 mm. Colour dark brown, with two submedian 

 lighter areas extending from below the gill-openings to the ventrals. 

 Angles of gill-openings tipped with dirty- white, posterior angle and posterior 

 border of pectorals with narrow dirty-white margin. The spines of the 

 dorsal fins are scarcelv discernible rudiments embedded in the fin. 



Fig. 1. — Dermal denticle. 



Fig. 2. — Lower surface of head. 



This species differs from Scymnodon squamuiosus (Gunther)* in its 

 shorter snout, the wider space between the nostrils, the more posterior 

 position of the 1st dorsal, and the brown colour A median dorsal silvery 

 blaze extends from level with the spiracles to level with the hinder end of 

 the base of the pectorals ; it is caused through the denticles of the area 

 being slightly raised and without the brown pigmentation of the other 

 denticles, and is possibly not a natural condition. 



Zoc— New Brighton. 



Type in the Canterbury Museum. 



The specimen is a male; its claspers are T8in. long, and bear sub- 

 terminally a curved sharp claw 0-6 in. long. 



* Centrophorus squamuiosus Giinther, " Challenger " Deep-sea Fishes, p. 5, pi. ii, 

 fig. B, 1887. 



