80 



j8. Each ventral fin consists of 2 rays coherent 



throughout so as to form a single filament ... N. conjugator. 

 b. No spines or spinules at the angle of the preoper- 



culum ... ... ... ... N. steatiticus. 



ii. Short pyloric caeca in a ring round the pylorus only : angle 

 of preoperculum merely excised : each ventral fin consists 

 of a single filament ... ... ... ... N. nigripinnis. 



2. A flat weak point at the upper angle of the operculum : only 4 or 



5 long gill-rakers on the outerside of the 1st branchial arch : no 



pseudobranchiaa whatever: pyloric cseea large [Pycnocraspedum] N. sqttamipinnis. 



II. The lateral line is indistinguishable and appears to be present only close 



to the head : pectoral fins long and feathery : no pyloric creca [Basso- 



GIGAs] ... ... ... ••• ••• ••• N - fterotus. 



The Indian species of Neobythites are so much alike that it will be sufficient 

 to give a diagnosis of one, and then to note merely the specific differences of the 

 others. 



59. Neobythites maerops, Gthr. 



Neohythites maerops, Giinther, Challenger Deep Sea Fishes, p. 102, pi. xx. fig. A : Alcock, AnD. Mag. Nat. 

 Hist. (6) IV. 1889, p. 385 and VIII. 1891, p. 30. 



D. circ. 100. A. circ. 80. P. circ. 26. V. 2 coherent at base. 



(I) Length of head 4 l - to 4< 2 - in the total. (2) Greatest body height about 

 equal to the length of the head without the snout. 



(3) Snout broad, rounded, hardly overhanging the upper jaw, as long as 

 the eye and about equal to the width of the flat interorbital space. 



(4-) Major diameter of eye about two-ninths the length of the head. 



(5) Nostrils rather far apart, — one in front of the eye, the other, subtu- 

 bular, near the edge of the snout. 



(6) Upper jaw half as long as the head, overhanging the lower jaw. Teeth 

 in broad bands in the jaws, in a A-shaped patch on the vomer, and in an ellip- 

 tical patch on each palatine. None of the teeth in any way enlarged. 



(7) Opercular spine long and sharp. (8) A spinule at the angle of the 

 preoperculum and another a short distance above it. (9) Gill-rakers on the outer 

 side of the first branchial arch numerous, of good length. (10) Each pseudo- 

 branch consists of 2 filaments. 



(II) Body, head, and bases of fins covered with small scales, of which 

 there are 8 or 9 series between the 1st dorsal ray and the lateral line. (12) The 

 lateral line extends more than halfway along the tail. 



(13) The dorsal and anal fins are confluent with the caudal : the longest 

 dorsal rays are equal to between a third and a fourth the greatest body 

 height. 



