470 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



Family PERISTEDIID.^. 



Penstediin(e, Jordan and Gilbkrt, Bull, xvi, U. S. Nat. Mus., 731. 

 Peristediida; Gill, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xi, 1888, 590. 



Trigloids, closely allied to Tr'ujUda', from wbicli they are rtistiiigulslied by liaviiig tlie 

 body mailed instead of scaly, by the absence of teeth, and the separation of the opercnlnm 

 and suboperculum from the inter operculum; and the lesser number of pectoral append- 

 ages, which aj^e two rather than three. 



PERISTEDION. LAc^pfeDE. 



Periatedion, Lac^p^de, Hist. Nat. Poiss., iii, 1802, p. 368. 



Body elongate, fnsiform, covered with bony plates, each of which is armed with a 

 strong spine; head bony; each preorbital produced into a long flat process, whicli projects 

 more or less beyond the mouth; mouth small; teeth none; lower jaw included, provided 

 with barbels; gill membranes separate, narrowly joined to the isthimis anteriorly; gill 

 rakers slender. Dorsal (in continuous or divided. Pectoral tin short, with the two lower- 

 most rays detached. Ventrals i, 5, separated by a broad flat area. Air-bladder simide. 

 Pyloric ca?ca about 10. Warm seas. Color, generally red. 



In addition to the Atlantic species named below the ChaUenger took P. mollticcense, 

 Blkr., off the Ki Islands (station 192), 140 fathoms; P. Murrayi, Giinther, from the Sea of 

 Banda, 200 fathoms; and P. liorhynchum, from the Admiralty Island, 152 fathoms. 



PERISTEDION MINIATUM, Godde. (Figures38.5, 385 A, B.) 



Peristedlum miniatum, Goode, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., in, 1880, 349, 480. — Goode auil Bean, Bull. Mus. C'omp. 

 ZoiJl., X, 1883, 212.— JoKDAN aud Gilbert, Bull., xvi, U. S. Nat. Mus., 732.— Gi'NTHER, Clialleuger Keport, 

 XXII, 64. 



The greatest width of the body (20) is equal to its greatest height (10..">) being one-fifth 

 of its total length without caudal. The general armature of the body is much like that 

 described by Giinther under Peristethus hrenrostre? The number of plates between the 

 gill openings and the base of the tail is from 27 to 29. There are -4 series of spiny ])lates 

 on each side, the spines of the abdominal series becoming very weak and obsolete towards 

 the tip of the tail. 



The length of the head (10.15) is two-fifths of the total length without caudal. The 

 length of the j^reorbital processes (7) is contained about 3i times in the distance from their 

 extremities to the anterior margin of the orbit. The interorbital space is dcejily concave; 

 its width (0.75) contained between G and 7 times in the length of the head. Protuberance on 

 the forehead very slight. The length of the snout (22.5) is more than half that of the head 

 (in young less). The diameter of the eye (05) is contained between (! and 7 times in the 

 length of the head. There is one pair of spines upon the upper surface of the snout behind 

 the base of the preorbital processes, and another larger pair upon the preorbital processes, 

 one upon each. The ridge of the preoperculuiii terminates in a depressed short, sharp- 

 pointed sijiue. The number of small tentacles upon either side of the lower jaw is about 

 10, the smallest nearest to the symphysis. The long tentacles at the angles of the mouth 

 are fringed, and extend to the base of the pectorals. In other respects Giiuther's descrip- 

 tion of P. brevirostre is ami)le for this species. 



Color, bright crimson. 



Eadial formula: D. vii, IS; A. 17; C. 10; P. 2 + 10; Y. 0. T.. lat., 27 on one side, 28 

 on the other 



Three other specimens liad the following: 1). Viii, IS; A. 17. 1). vii, IS; A. IS. D. 

 VII, 18; A. 18. 



Total length of type (No. 26023) 300 millimeters. 



' Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., u, 1860, p. 218. 



