478 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



Jierjaleciis macuMus, NaRDO, Giom. di Fisica (sec. ii), vii, 116, pi. I, fig. 1. 



'• Trachypterus Costa; Cocco." 



Trachi/pteiiis Sinnolw, (JuviER and Valenciennes, loc. dt., 328, pi. ccxcvi.— Bonaparte, Catalogo, No. 



712.— GiiNTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., ui, 300.— Canestrini, op. cU., 193. 

 Irachypterus falx, Cuvikr and Valenciennes, op. cit., x, 333. — Co.sta, Fauna Nwpolitana, Pesci, pi. ix, fei.f. 



A Trachyptcrti.s Inwing the lower line of the body straight ; dorsal rays 137-170, these 

 rays being rough; the lateral line spinous; and the height of the body coutaiued from i to 

 10 times in the total length of the hsh (excluding the caudal). 



lladial formula: D. 4-8 + 120-170; P. 10. 



Color, silvery white, with a few round, black spots or blotches. 



Three species, for a long time considered distinct by European ichthyologists, and 

 recoguized by them under the names of T. sjyhioliF, T. Uniia and T.iris, have been shown 

 by Emery to be identical, being successive stages of one and the same species, lu a very 

 importaut paper published by him in the "Acts" of the Academy of Lincei, Eome (in, 

 187!>, 390-395, tigs, l-fi), and in the "Mittheilungen aus dcr Z()()logis<-hen Station zu Neapel" 

 (1879, 1581) he has given full particulars of his examinations of 1!.'J specimens. 



This species is known only from the Mediterranean. The largest individuals under the 

 name of Irachi/iifoKs iris have been recorded from Nice, Banynl, Sicily, Coi'sica, Leghorn, 

 and Elba. The specimen discussed by Moreaii was 1.5 meters in length. A smaller size, 

 described as T. spinohe, has been identitied from Nice, Cette, Elba, Naples, and Sicily. The 

 specimen obtained by Moreau from Gette was 0.95 meter long. A smaller form, as identi- 

 fied by Moreau under the name of T. fulv (T. tanda), has been obtained from Nice, Cette, 

 Messina, and Algiers. Moreau's specimen was 0.53 meter in length. 



Among the common names are Pcsce hannera (Naples), FlnmJnt (Cette), Hquaglia .sole 

 (Naples), liondeletius and Gesuer called it FaU- Ycmtorum — the Venetian blade. 



TRACHYPTEEUS GRYPHUEUS, Lowe. 



Trachypterus gryphurus, Lowe, Proc. Zoiil. Soc, 1850, 248.— Gi'NTHEI!, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., iii, 301. 



Intermediate between T. tania and T. iris, approaching perhaps nearest to the latter, 

 but differing in its deeper shape, its depth being two-elevenths of the total length, and in the 

 more backward position of the third dark side spot. The ventral fins are short, only equal- 

 ing one-twelfth of the body without the caudal fin, and the first four produced rays of the 

 first dorsal are equal in length to the ventral tins. The lateral line ends as in Cuvier and 

 Valenciennes's figure (t. 297) of T. iris, but is quite unarnuid. The ventral line is serrulate, 

 and the whole surface, particularly towards the ventral Hue, is finely shagreeued or granu- 

 late, the granulations becoming stronger toward the ventral line, as in the same figure. In 

 sliape and proportions it agrees better with T. Uvnia, but differs in several important par- 

 ticulars from Cuvier and Valenciennes's description of that fi.sh. The only individual exam- 

 ined occurred in .Tune, 1845, and has been added by me to the collection of the Cambridge 

 rhilosophical Society. It was scarcely quite dead when I first saw it, and was in the most 

 l>erfect state of i)reservation. Another Trachypterus had occurred in June, 1844, and was 

 probably the same species; but the example was unfortunately thrown away by the person 

 to whom it had been missent without my seeing it. It was said to have been about 3 

 feet long. The whole body is pure bright silver, appearing as if frosted, froiu tlie fine 

 granulations of the surface. The fins are of a delicate scarlet or vermilion, the lower 

 point or angle of the caudal being tipped, and the hinder end of the dorsal edged, with 

 black. On the sides are 3 l)lackish oval or elliptic spots. This exam])le was 25 inches 

 long exclusive of the caudal lin, wliich resembles a bat's or griflbn's wing, and is erected in 

 a t\uilike manner, the lower lobe or portion being suppressed or undeveloped, and only 

 indicated by the picsence of 5 short spinules or abortive rays. {Loire.) 



This species is known from a single specimen obtained l)y Lowe at Aladcira in 1849, and 

 is distinguished from T. trachypterus chiefly by the fact that its lateral line is smooth, as well 

 as by minor characteristics. 



