63 



Soft dorsal and anal short. 



Two gills (on the 2nd and 3rd branchial arches). No pseudobranchiae. 



No air-bladder : no pyloric appendages. 



Distribution : "West Indies and Atlantic coasts of the United States : Cape 

 Verde and neighbouring coasts of Africa : Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Anda- 

 man Sea. At moderate depths. 



42. Dibrancluis nasutus, Alcock. 



Dibranchus nasutus, Alcock, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist, July 1891, p. 24, pi. vii. fig. 1 : Illustrations of thk 

 Zoology of the Investigator, Fishes, pl. XX. fig. 2. 



B. 6. D. 6. A. 4. C. 9. P. 12-13. V. 1. 5. 



Disk, measured to the gill-opening, shorter than the tail (including caudal), 

 its cranial portion very slightly elevated. 



The frontal bridge projects considerably beyond the mouth, forming a 

 snout. 



The rostral tentacle ends in a pair of fleshy balls, with a pair of filaments 

 above and between them. 



Eyes about one-sixth the length of the disk and not much more than one 

 diameter apart anteriorly. 



Dorsal surface closely covered with rigid spines having a stelliform base : 

 ventral surface much more sparsely beset with similar but smaller spines or 

 acute tubercles. 



Dorsal fin in the anterior half of the tail, but some distance behind the gill- 

 opening : anal fin entirely behind the dorsal. 



Caudal fin 4^ in the total length, equal to the pectorals. Ventrals narrow, 

 nearly as long as the pectorals. 



Colour in life, blue black to jet black. 



The largest specimen is not quite 3| inches long. 



Andaman Sea, 188 to 220 and 405 fathoms : off Travancore coast, 406 

 fathoms. 



Regd. Nos. 13028, 14116-14118, if 3 . 



43. Dibranchus mici*opus, Alcock. 



Dibranchus micropus, Alcock, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., July 1891, p. 25, pl. vii. figs. 2,2a, 2b,: Illustrations 

 of the Zoology of the Investigator, Fishes, pl. XX. fig. 1. 



B. 6. D. 5. A. 4. C. 9. P. 15. V. 5. 

 Disk as long as, or longer than, the tail, its cranial portion very decidedly 

 elevated. 



