290 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC HA8IN. 



HYPSICOM'ETES, Goode. 



Hijps'woMck-s, GoouE, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., ill, 1880, 347. — Joeu.vn auil GiLiiEKT, Hull, xvi, U. S. Nat. Miis. 

 808. 



Body elongate, .subcyliudiical, tai)eriiig posteriorly. Ilead very large, mucli depressed, 

 with suout elougate, spatulate; eleft of mouth very wide, horizoutal, with the lower jaw 

 iiiiu'li the longer; the posterior margin of the maxillary wide, free, aud with a long euta- 

 neons Hap. Eyes very large, close together, subvertieal. Scales large, cycloid, deciduous; 

 lateral line conspicuous and continuous, with scales smaller than those of the body adjoining, 

 not granular, its line descending abruptly in a catenary curve in the region over tlie pectorals. 

 Teeth acicular ; in bands on the jaws, vomer, and palatines, the largest being upon the pala- 

 tines, the vomer, and ui)on two pads on either side of the symphysis of the maxillary. A 

 sharp, short, strong scapular spine. Opercle with three feeble, sharp spines, each at the 

 end of a long feeble ridge; along, skinny opercular flap extending far beyond the bony 

 portion, and covered with scales. Eranchiostegals, 0. Gill-membranes free from the isth- 

 mus, except far in front, where they are united to it; the left-hand flap overlapping the 

 right at the point of junction. Pseudobranchi;e present. Gill-rakers short. 



This genus resembles Ghwiiichthyn, in many particulars, in its general structure, though 

 distinguished by the presence of scales and the different position of the lateral line, which 

 descends iu a catenary curve from under the tip of the opercular Hap to the middle region 

 of the body, about halfway from the pectorals to the caudal; by the greater depression of 

 the head, the sharper sncnit, the smaller mouth, and the location of the eyes, which are 

 subvertieal instead of lateral, and are separated by a very narrow intei'orbital space; and also 

 by the i)resence of teeth upon the vomer and palatines. It resembles Batliydraco iu general 

 appearance, but is clearly distinguished from it by the presence of two dorsal fins, instead 

 of a single one, by the armed opercles, by the presence of scales upon the snout, by the 

 presence of teeth upon the vomer an d palatines, and by having instead of 10 branchios- 

 tegals. 



HYPSICOMETES GOBIOIDES, Goode. (Figure 263.) 

 Sypsicometes goiioides, Goode, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., iii, 1880, 347. — Joudan and Gilbert, loc. cit. 



The greatest height of the body is about one-third of the length of the head, which 

 (measuring from the tip of the snout to the tip of the opercular Hap) is contained a little less 

 than two and one-half times in the total length of the body (without caudal). Mouth very 

 wide, horizontal; the maxillary, which is expanded spoon-like posteriorly, reaching consid- 

 erably beyond the vertical from the anterior margin of the orbit. The diameter of the orbit 

 is contained l.;V times in the length of the snout and ih times iu the length of the head (Hap 

 included), its location being considerably nearer to the tip of the snout than to the end of 

 the dap, and equidistant between the tij) of the snout and the tip of the uppermost si)ine of 

 the operculum. 



The entire upper surface of the head is covered with scales, except upon the bony por- 

 tion of the snout, and so are also the cheeks and opercula. The first dorsal fin is placed far 

 forward, not far behind the vertical from the axil of the pectoral ; the interspace between 

 the termination of the first dorsal and the beginning of the second is equal to the diameter 

 of the orbit. This fin is composed of six spines, the first and second of which are the long- 

 est, equal to the distance from the anterior margin of the orbit to the tip of the lower jaw, 

 and is triangular in form. The origin of the second dorsal is almost in the verti(;al fi'om 

 that of the anal, and terminates a little in advance of the latter. The second dorsal fin is 

 highest in front and low behind. The length of the caudal peduncle is a little less than the 

 length of the snout. Caudal rounded. Pectoral very broad at ba.se, rounded, extending 

 beyond the vent and nearly to tiie vertical from the origin of the anal ; lower rays branched. 

 Veutralsfar apart, horizoutal, TrUjlalike, compu.sed of one fiexible spine and five branched 

 rays, their insertion far forward and far in advance of the base of the pectorals. 



Kadial formula: D. Vi, 15-17; A. 1(5-18; V. i, 5; P. 20; L. lat. Uo. 



