488 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



Descriptions and nieasnrements of No. 20021 may be fonnd in (Joode, loc. cit. Altlionjili 

 there is aiuplo material and some of the specimens in the National Museum arc? vei'y hirge, 

 fuHer study seems unnecessary, since they are un(h)ubtedly Lowe's G. pictim. 



Tlie following color notes were tak(Mi by Di-. Bean from afresli specimen taken in ti-awl. 

 station 2357, January 22, 1885. 



Back greenish gray, mottled with brown and tinged with rosy, suinaorular region willi 

 golden retlectious. Pectorals lemon yellow mingled with rosy; caudal like pecbirals. 

 8ides rosy. Under surface whitish and rosy intermingled. Pu|>ii intense blue. Back with 

 fine reticulations. Rostral tentacle greenish gold at base, the fimbriated ])ortion lavender. 

 Lines of nnicous ])orcs with reddisli l)ro\vn, well distiiiguislied from the remaining colors. 

 Labial fringes lemon yellow. Iris golden or rather lemon yellow. 



The species inflates its abdomen like Te.traodon and has some difficulty in expelling the 

 air so as to sink ra|)idly. The small gill-o])enings are closed very tightly during inhalation 

 and a strong current of water is expelled in expiration. 



Family CERATIID^E. 



CeralUiU; Gill, Proc. Acad. N;it. Sci. I'hihi... isr,3, sit; Arr. Fam. I'isli., 1872, 2 (No. 12) ; Proc. ir. S. Nat. Mu.s., 

 I, 187S, lip. 21(i. 227. 



Pediculates with head and body compressed. JVIouth terminal, more or less obliipu". 

 Gill-opeuings small, in the lower part of the axils. No pseudobranchia'. !S|)iuons dorsal 

 represented by at lesist a frontal and superior rostral spine. Pectoral members not genicii 

 lated, with short pseudobrachia. and three actinosts. No ventral tins. All known forms 

 are uniform blackish in color. 



"The 'bathybial sea devils,'" writes (iiintlier, "are degraded forms ol' Lophim ; they 

 descend to the greatest dei)ths of the ocean. Their bones are of an extremely light and 

 thin texture, and frequently other parts of their organization, their integuments, nniscles, 

 and intestines are equally loose in texture when the specimens are brought to the surface. 

 In their habits they probably do not differ in any degree from their surface representative, 

 LophiuH. 



"When the first individuals of this group were, discovered they seemed to be sudi- 

 ciently distinct from one another to justify generic se|)aratiou. However, the additions of 

 recent years exhibit that variation in the shape of the body, head, and mouth, in the 

 specialized dorsal spines, and in the development of dermal scutes, which may be expected 

 in such grotesquely formed creatures. 



"The number of the dorsal sjjines is always reduced, and at the end of the series of 

 these species only one spine remains, with a simple, very small lamella at the extremity 

 (Melniiocctus Johnmnii, Mdanoectus Murray!). In other forms sometimes a second cei)halic 

 spine, sometimes a spine on the back of the trunk is preserved. The first cejthalic spine 

 always retains the original function of a, lure for other marine creatures, but to render it 

 more ett'ectivc a special luminous organ is sometimes developed in connection with the 

 filaments with which its extremity is provided (Cerafian hi.sphio.sm, Oncirodca E.schrichfii). 

 iSo far as it is known at jiresent these complicated tentacles attain to the highest ilegi-eo 

 of developnu!nt in Himantnloplni.s and ^I'Jgaonichtlij/.s. In other species very i)eculiar dermal 

 apiiendages are developed, either accompanying the spine on the back or replacing it. 

 They may be ]>aired or form a group of three; are ])ear shaped, covered with tin- common 

 skin, and perforated at the top, a delicate tentacle sometimes issuing from the foramen.'' 



KEY TO THE (iEXERA OF C'EKATlIDJi. 

 I. Mouth moderate. 



A. Brancllia' iu 2J pair.?. 



1. Moutli-idef't nearly vertical; skin prickly ('naiiinn- 



a. Two cephalic spines, no dorsal spine, no carancles; vomerine teeth Dicri!.\tias 



}>. One cephalic and one dor.sal spine, witli lateral eamneli's; no vomerine teeth Cp.ii.M'iA.s 



c. One cephalic spine, no dorsal spine; e.arnncles present. 



i. Caruncles remote from sott (Uirsal Maxcai.ia.s 



ii. Caruncles close to solt dorsal C'ryptopsakas 



