DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 95 



Family MAUROLICIDyE. 



Cocciina, GCnther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mas., v, 1861, 387 (group under Sleriioptychicl(e). 

 MauroVicidir, Gill (MS.). 



Body somewliat elongate, compressed, scaleless. Barbels none. Margin of the upper 

 jaw formed by the maxillary and intermaxillary, both of wliic-h are provided with teeth. 

 Opercnlar aiiparatus incomplete. Gill opening very wide, the onter branchial arch extend- 

 ing forward to behind the symphysis of the lower jaw. Psendobranchiae present. xVir 

 bladder none. Adipose fin rudimentary. Series of luminous phosjjhoresceut spots along 

 the lower side of the head, tail, and body. A single dorsal fin, without spinous rays. The 

 remarkable form Opisthoproctus^ Vaillaut (fig. 112), perhaps belongs here. 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



I. Gill rakers very short, dorsal fin nearly in middle of length of body Ichthtococcus 



II. Gill rakers very long, dorsal IJu on hinder half of body Maurolicus 



ICHTHYOCOCCUS, Bonaparte. 



lehthyococcut, Bonaparte, Faun. Ital., Pesci, Fasc. xxvn, 1840. 



Coccia, GuNTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., V, 1864, 387. • 



Body compressed, naked, silvery; pho.sphorescent bodies upon the lower parts. Mouth 

 moderate. Maxillary bones dilated, forming nearly the entire margin of the upper jaw; 

 intcrmaxillaries small; lower jaw included. Teeth inconspicuous, a few near the symphysis 

 of the lower jaw, wliile the edge of the maxillary is finely serrated. Eyes moderate in size, 

 separated by a very narrow interorbital area. Pectorals placed very low. Veuti'als pres- 

 ent. Dorsal nearly median. Adipose fin rudimentary. Anal moderate. Caudal forked. 

 Gill opening extensive, outer branchial arch reaching to behind the symphysis of the lower 

 jaw, with numerous short gill rakers. 



The recent tendencies of opinion among American zoologists are not in accord with the 

 action of Dr. Giinther in substituting Coccia for Ichthyococcus, 



ICHTHYOCOCCUS OVATUS (Cocco), Bonaparte. (Figure 113.) 



Gonostomus ovaliis, Cocco, Lett, su Salmoni, 9, pi. i, fig. 3. 



Ichthyococcus oratus, Bonaparte, Faun. Ital., Pesci, Fasc. xxvii, 1840, figure. — Vaillant, Exp. Sci. Travail- 



leur et Tali.sman, 104, pi. xiv, fig. 2, 2a. 

 Scopelus ovatua, Cuvikr and Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 453. 

 Coccia ovata, GtJNXHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., v, 388. , 



This form, known since the days of Bonaparte, from the Mediterranean, was obtained 

 by the French explorers in 1882 off the coast of Portugal at JK'JO meters, and off Morocco at 

 2,030 meters. It has not yet been found in the western Atlantic. 



MAUROLICUS, Cocco. 



MauroUcua, Cocco, Lett. s. Salmoni, 32 (type, Maurolicus amethystino-puvctatus, Cocco).— Gunther, Cat. 

 Fish. Brit. Mus., v, 388. 



Body oblong, compressed, naked, covered with silvery pigment; phosphorescent spots 

 along the lower parts. Head compressed, with bones thin, but ossified. Cleft of month 

 wide, oblique, lower jaw slightly prominent. Maxillary large, broad, much produced back- 

 wards, receiving the slender premaxillary in the upper concave part of its margin. Both 

 jaws with minute teeth. Gill opening very wide. Gill rakers very long. Pectorals and 

 ventrals developed. Dorsal on hinder half of body, but before anal. Adipose fin rudi- 

 mentary. Anal fin long, in two portions, the posterior half with its rays hidden beneath the 

 skia. Branchiostegals, 8 or 9. (Abridged from Giinther.) 



