154 



DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



scribed by Giinther in the Challenger Report. A copy of liis figure is reproduced. (Fig- 

 ure 174.) 



CYEMA, Gunther. 



Cyema, GCnther, Ann. .and Mag. Nat. Hist., ii, 1878, 2rjl; Challenger Report, xxii, 1887, 205. — Jordan anil 

 Davis, Rep. U. S. F. C, 1888, 65. 



This genus, says G-iinther, combines the loriii of thi^ snout of ii Xemichthys witli tlie 

 soft, sliort hody of a Ije2)toce]}htilii.s; but tlie gill openings are very narrow and close together 

 on the abdominal surfiice. Vent in about the middle of the length of the body ; vertical fins 

 well developed, confined to and interrupted at the extremity of the tail. Pectoral fins well 

 developed. Eye very small. 



It is to be hoped that Dr. Giinther will publisli his views more fully ujjon the relation 

 of this form to Leptocephalus. To a casual observer Cyema, as exhibited in the French and 

 English material, seems very like a young Xemichthys, ^nth its jaws and tail mutilated and 

 partly repaired. 



CYEMA ATKUM, Gunther. (Figure 176.) 



Cyenia atruni, Gunther, Ann. .and Mag. Nat. Hist., ii, 1878, 251; Challenger Report, xxii, 265, PI. uv, Fig. 

 D. — Vaillant, Exped. Travailleur et Talisman, Poissons, 91, PI. vii. Figs. 4, 4a. — Jordan and Davis, 

 Rep. U. S. F. C, 1888, 651. 



A specimen 4J inches long was obtained by the Challeiu/cr iuthe South Pacific, station 

 215, depth 1,500 fathoms; another, 4§ inches long, at station 158, in the Antarctic seas, 

 depth 1,800 fathoms. The French exj^lorers took another, identified by Vaillant with this 

 species, at station xxxviii, 2,210 meters, off the coast of Morocco. This specimen is thus 

 described by Yaillant : 



This is a little fish, 110 to 120 millimeters long and scarcely 2J to .1 millimeter-^ in thick- 

 ness; this form has justly been compared to Xe;jfoc(7j//rt/«.v by the accomplished Keeper of 

 the Zoological Collections in the British Museum. 



The head is swollen, forming about one-sixth of the total length; the muzzle forms 

 more than a half of the head; the angle of the mouth is well behind the eye; the jaws are 

 armed with small .serrated teeth disposed in quincunx and giving it the appearance of 

 a fine file as iu Xemichthys. The upper jaw is in large i)art wanting, also the extremity of 

 the lower and their dimension can only be given approximately. It is not possible to dis- 

 cover the position of the nostrils. The eyes are small and the iuterorbital space rather 

 large, about one-seventh of the length of the head. The narrow branchial orifices are clo.se 

 to the lateral line, but not confluent, and placed very near the i)ectorals. 



The anus is .situated behind the middle of the total length, at the union of the anterior 

 five-eighths with the posterior three-eighths. The skin is scaleless. 



Tlie dorsal and anal are nearly opposite on the posterior part of the body, imme(liately 

 behind the anus. The maniu^r in which these fins terminate is not quite clear; in tlie living 

 animal it appears to me that they are united, forming a semi-lunar tork, posteriorly wanting 

 the ordinary caudal fin of fishes x>roperly so called, but I am not willing to atfirm that the 

 extremity was absolutely intact, the action of the preserving fluid making the ascertain- 

 ment of the fact more difficult daily. 



The color is a beautiful -selvety black. 



Millimeters. 



Length 105 



Height 7 



Thickness 2i 



Head, length 17 



Millimeters. 

 Tail, length 40 



Snout, length <J? 



Eye, diameter i 



Interorbital •width 2 



The specimen is No. 8-t-10G7, in the ichthyological collection of the Paris Museum. It 

 was taken at station 38. Dr. Giinther states that the species has been taken in depths of 

 3,743 and 3,262 meters in the Pacific and Antarctic oceans. 



