Zoology.-] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Fishes. 



Plate 145. 

 REGALECUS BANKSI (Cuv. sr.). 



Banks' Oar-Fish. 



[Genus REGALECUS (Brunn.). (Sub-kingdom Vertebrata. Class Pisces. Sub-class 

 Teleostei. Order Acanthopterygia. Family Trachypteridae.) 



Gen. Char. — Head small ; mouth small, protractile, usually without teeth ; body very long, 

 gradually tapering to the tail, greatly compressed ; gill openings wide, brauchiostegal rays, 6 ; 

 gills, 4 ; pseudobranchia. Fins : of simple rays, 1 dorsal, extending from nape to end of tail, the 

 rays of anterior portion much higher and closer than the rest ; no anal ; no caudal ; pectorals 

 small, rounded ; ventrals thoracic, each formed of one long, slender sbaft. dilated at distal end. 

 No air bladder.] 



Description. — Length of head about 22 times in total length, or slightly less; 

 greatest depth about 23 times in total length. Dorsal fin of 17 long, closely placed 

 anterior rays, and 406 shorter ones, more widely separated, gradually diminishing 

 to end of tail, extending slightly beyond the membrane, and each ray having a 

 minute conical spine at its base. Pectoral rounded, of 12 rays. Ventrals each of 

 1 cylindrical shaft (imperfect, broken off in specimen 2 or 3 inches beyond base) ; 

 4 longitudinal, broad, flattened ridges, separated by narrow sulci, extend from head 

 to tail over the lateral line, which cuts them off obliquely in front, by descending 

 rapidly from nape to about one-fourth the depth of the body from ventral edge. 

 Lateral line of narrow, elongate, oblong, tubular scales ; it ends at about T V of the 

 total length from the end of the tail (or 9 inches, at about \ of the depth, from the 

 ventral edge). Preoperculum, operculum, interoperculum, suboperculum, and other 

 bones of head irregularly pitted and radiatingly marked with short, irregular grooves. 

 Eye large, flat, a little in front of and above middle of head. No teeth. Surface of 

 skin studded with small, conical, slightly radiated, bony granules. Colour: Whole 

 head and body brilliant metallic-silvery, slightly tinged with pale lavender-grey on 

 back and anterior part of head ; pectoral white ; dorsal with bright red rays, the 

 membrane rose-red, paler at base than at margin; about 19 vertical black streaks, 

 half an inch wide, of variable length, cross the anterior half of the body, and 5 or 6 

 longitudinal rows of longitudinally oval, blackish spots on posterior three-fifths ; no 

 spots near tail. Iris white. Inside of mouth black. Measurements: Total length, 

 13 ft. 7 in.; length of head, 7 in. 6 lines; depth at vertical of eye, 5 in. 3 lines; 

 greatest depth of body, 7 in. 3 lines; thickness of body, 2^ in.; diameter of eye, 

 1 in. 6 lines ; length of long anterior dorsal fin-rays (imperfect), 1 ft. 4 in. 6 lines; 

 length of shorter ones on greater part of body, 2 in. ; length of* pectoral fin, 1 in. 

 Six scales of lateral line in 1 in. Six granules of skin in space of -^ in. 



References. — = (?) Regalecus Glesne (Ascanius) Icones Rer. Nat., t. 11 ; 

 1 = Gymnetrus Grilli (Lindroth) Kongl. Vetensk. Acad. Nya Handl., t. 8; 

 = Gymnetrus Banksi, Cuv. and Val., Hist. Nat. des Poiss., v. 10, p. 365; Hancock 

 and Embleton, Annals of Nat. Hist., July, 1849, t. 1 and 2; = Gymnetrus Hawkinsi, 

 Bloch, v. 12, t. 425. 



So few examples of this fish have been observed, and those 

 described were so imperfect, that I am very glad to be able to give 

 a figure and description of an Australian one, caught in the waters 



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