314 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



MELANOSTIGMA GELATINOSUM, Guntiier. (Figure 284.) 



Melunostiijma {/elatinosmn, GvuriiKR, Pioe. Zool. Soc. London, 1881, 21, pi. li, fig. A; Challenger Report, 

 XXII, 1887, 82.— GoouE and Bean, Bull. Mus. Comi>. Zool., 188.3, 20!).— .Iord.\n, Cat. Fish. N. Auier., 

 1885, 125. 



Body is enveloped in a loose, delicate skin, a.s in Lipari.s. Head Itirjj'e, deej), compressed, 

 with obtuse .snout. Eye large, two-seveutlis of the length of the head and longer than the 

 snout. Cleft of the mouth rather obliiiue, l)ut the lower jaw docs not project beyond the 

 upper. Lips not fleshy. Inside of the mouth, gill-openings, and vent black. The gill- 

 opening is reduced to a very narrow foramen above the base of the pectoral Jin. The origin 

 of the dorsal flu and the root of the pectoral ar(^ enveloped in the loose skin of the body. 

 The dorsal tiii seems to commence abov<i the ndddle of the pectoral, is low at lirst, but 

 becomes considerably higher posteriorly. Pectorals very narrow, consisting of a few rays 

 only. Upper parts tinged with a puridish gray; sides marbled \\ ith the same color, which 

 toward the end of the tail becomes more intense, almost black. 



Total length of the specimen 5J inches; distance of the snout from the gill-o])eiiing 

 seven-eighths inch, from the vent IJ inches. 



The type specimen was obtained on January 10, 1880, by Dr. Coppinger, of II. ]\I. S. 

 Alert, at Tilly bay, in the Straits of Magellan, in 2-1 fathoms. 



The Blrili-e .secured an individual from station CCCXXXIV, in .38° 20' .'50" N. lat., 73° 

 20' 40" W. Ion., at a depth of 395 fathoms; and the Albatrons obtained specimens from 

 station 2003, in 37° IC 30" N. lat., 74° 20' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 041 fathoms ; from station 

 2549, in 39° 51' 30" jST. lat., 70° 17' W. Ion., at a depth of 571 fathoms; from station 2.54(J, in 

 39° 53' 30" K lat., 70° 17' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 538 fathoms; Cat. No. 32007, U. S. N. 

 M., from station 2003, in 37° 10' 30" N. lat., 74° 20' 36" W. Ion., at a de])tli of 041 fathoms; 

 Cat. No. 35011, U. S. N. M., from station 2201, in 39° 39' 45" N. hit, 71° 35' 15" W. Ion., at 

 a depth of 538 fathoms. The Fish HawTc took additional specimens from station 994, in 39° 

 40' N. lat., 71° 30' W. Ion., at a depth of 308 fathoms; Cat. No. 28702, U. S. N. M., from 

 station 937, iu 39° 49' 25" N. lat., 09° 49' W.lon., at a depth of OlOfathoms; Cat. No. 28901, 

 U. S. N. M., li-om station 995, in 39° 40' 30" N. lat., 71° 31' W. Ion., at a depth of 358 

 fiithoms; Cat. No. 28813, IT. S. N. M., from station 947, in 39° .5.3' 30" N. lat., 71° 13' 30" 

 W. Ion., at a depth of 319 tathoms; Cat. No. 288.53, U. S. N. M., from station 952, in 39° 55' 

 N. lat., 70^ 28' W. Ion., at a depth of 396 fathoms. 



Family BROTULID^E. 



lirotulbm, Swainson, Nat. Hist. Fish, 1839, ii, 188, 301. 

 lirotuUUlei, Bi.eeker, Tentanien, 859, xxiv. 

 BrotuUdce, Adams, Man. Nat. Hist., 1851, 101. 

 Brotulina, Guntiier, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., iv, 1862, 371. 



Ophidioidea, with body naked or covered with small scales. Dorsal and anal fins confluent 

 with caudal. Veutrals jugular, reduced to one or two rays. Gill oin'uings wide, the gill- 

 membranes free. Vent in anterior half of body. Barbel present or absent. Lateral line 

 interrupted, or partially oi completely obsolete. 



ARTIFICIAL KEY TO THE GENERA OF BROTULID.E. 



(Not strictly according to affinities, and for purposes of identiticatiou only.) 

 Barbel8 present on snout and lower jaw. 



I. Ventr.als a pairofbilid filaments [Hrotula] 



II. Ventrals a pair of simple filaments [Nh-matohrotula] 



B.arbel8 repl.aced 1>y cilia or tuheirles. 



I. Eye absent or rudimentary. Cave dwellers. 



A. No teeth on palatines; villiioim teeth in jaws [Li'CIFUGa] 



B. Strong teeth on palatines, and on maudibuliir edge [StvgicoIiA] 



No barbels, cilia, or tubercles. 



I. Caudal iliil'irentiated, with distinct stem. 



A. Ventral filaments single. A flat opercnlar spine. 



1. Head scaly [Dinemaik irnivs] 



2. Head naked LJ^kosmopii Ycis] 



