DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 365 



MOLA^A BYKKELANCa:, Waluaum. 



Mnhfi hjirkdaiir/r, Wai.baim Artcdi's Genera risciiim, 1792, iii, 135. — STltiiM. Norsk. Vid. .Silsk. Skr., 1884, 

 35. — Coi.LETT Norgcs Fiske, 1875, 11(5; Nyt Mag. f. Naturvid., 1884, 81. — Lilukuokg, 8verig. och Norg. 

 Fisk., 139. 



Molra abyssorum, NiLSSON, Prodrouius, 46; Skand. Fauu., iv, 577. — GCntiiki:, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., iv, 362. 



A Molva ■which differs from M. rnUjaris in having the lower jaw the longer, as well as in 

 longer second dorsal and anal flns. Strong inandibulary and vonieriue teeth. Ventral tip 

 not extending beyond tliat of pectoral. The anal and dorsal terminate in the same vertical. 



Radial formula: I). 14 + 7G-78; A. 74-75. 



"This species," says Giinther, "descends to a still greater depth than the common 'ling,' 

 and is abuudaut between 100 and 300 fathoms on the coast of Scandinavia," 



MOLVA ELONGATA, (Otto) GCNinEii. 



Gatlus elongntiis, Otto, "('onspectus." 



Lota elongata, Risso, Hist. Nat. Eiir. M6rid., 217, fig. XLVii. — BoNArAHTE, Catalogue, No. 366. — Canes- 



TRINI, Archive Zooh)gi<iue, ii, 367.^MorkaU, Hist. Nat. Poias., France, iii, 260, fig. 179. 

 jUolva elongata, GOnthek, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., iv, 362. — C'anestrini, Fauu. Italica, 1.57. — Gioi.kpi.i, 



Elenco, 37. 



A Molra characterized by the length of the pectoral tin, which extends further back- 

 ward than the ventral, while the anal extends fiirther backward than the dorsal; also by 

 the comparative shortness of the lirst dorsal fin. The lower Jaw is lunger than the upper 

 one. The length of the barbel is not quite half the width of the inteiorbital space. The 

 anal is inserted behind the vertical from the origin of the second dorsal. The first three 

 rays of the ventral are elongated. 



Eadial formula: D. 10-11 + 77-81: A. 73-78. 



Color above, ashy; below, silvery white. The dorsal and caudal are margined with 

 black; white at the edge. The second dorsal has on its posterior rays a very black spot. 

 The caudal is black at its lower ])osterior angle. 



This form is found only in the JVIediterranean, and is very common at Nice. It occurs 

 off the west coast of Italy, though it is not abundant, (riglioli also records it from Mes- 

 sina, where it is rare. 



PHYSICULUS, Kaup. 



rhijxicuJm, Kajp, Wieginaiin's Archiv., 18.58, 88. — GfNTiiER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., iv, 348; Challenger Re 



port, x.\ii, 1887, 87. 

 rseiidophych, Guntuer, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., iv, 350. 



Gadoids having an elongate body, 2 dorsals and 1 anal fin, and a separate caudal. 

 Snout broad, obtusely rounded, projecting beyond the mouth, which is of moderate size. 

 Teeth small, villiform, of eipial size, in bands in the jaws; vomerines and palatines tooth- 

 less. Scales very small, covering body and entire head. Ventrals narrow, witli 5 rays, the 

 outer ones filamentous. Anal not notched. Caudal rounded, slender, free. A barbel upon 

 the chin. Branchiostegals 7. Gillrakers of the outer branchial arch short. 



Giinther, in his report on the deep-sea fishes of the ChcllciKjcr, combines his genus, the 

 Pscudophycis, with rhyKumhis, stating that in consequence of the discovery of several in- 

 termediate forms, a generic distinction between them can not be maintained; and fiu'thet 

 tliat most probably tlie transition from the perfectly developed many-rayed fin to the single 

 filament of Phycis, will be found to be so gradual as to diminish tlie value of the structure 

 of this fin as a taxonomic character in this group. 



In addition to the four species described below, two other species have been described — 

 P. breviiiticnhts of Richardson { = P. hacchits, Forster), and /*. hnrJxttus of Giinther (=P. 

 palmatus, Kliinzinger), but their bathic range has not been determined. 



