504 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



BraucliiiB two and oiic-half, tlie first arcli witliont laiiiolla'. Branchial aitcrtures 

 anterior to xjectoral, upon disk. 



Superoral cavity small, containing a tentacle (representing aborteil first dorsal), wliicli 

 is very retractile.' 



Soft dorsal flu, few rayed, inserted at junction of disk -with trunk. Anal fin few rayed. 

 Pectorals large, carpus slender, not cxserted, horizontally placed. Caudal rounded. 



Ectoderm sparingly armed above with stellate tubercles, the posterior of \\ hich upon 

 the disk mark the contour of the skeleton. Under surface smooth. 



Air bladder and pyl<)ri(! cieca absent, intestine short, stx)mach siphon-shaped, 

 spermaries bilobate, liver ou left side of body. 



HALIEUTICHTHYS ACULEATUS, (Mitchili,), Goode. (Figures 114 A, B.) 



Lophius aciilcatiin, JIiTCHiLi., American Monthly Magaziup, ii, 1818, 325 (sj)ccinien from Straits of lialiama). 

 UalieiMchthijs lu-uleatiis, GoODK, I'roc. U. S. Nat. Mus., ii, 1879, 109 (calliui; attention to llitohiirs deserip- 



tion). III, 467. — .Jf>Ri)AN and Gilbert, Bull, xvi, U. S. Nat. Mus., 8.51. — Godde and Bean, ibid., 'XV.i 



(specimen from Key West). — Gill, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., v, 556. 

 H(iTiei(lichtliiisretieulatus, PoEY, MS.— Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1X63, 91 (specimen from C'nba). 



A species of ITalievHchthyx, with cordiforni disc, which is about as wide as lonj;-, its 

 length more than two-thirds that of the body. Body covered above with stout conical 

 spines witk stellular bases, largest upon the trunk, upon which they are arranged in about 

 two irregular longitudinal rows on eack side of the dorsal; upon the disc they are placed 

 above the principal bones of the .skeleton, most abundant ux)oii its cranial portion. A single 

 row of stout spines, usually three-pointed, marks the outer margin of the disc, a particularly 

 large one at each outer angle. Body entirely smooth below. Snout very .short, obtuse. 

 Bridge over the rostral cavity covered in front with a three-pointed spine, having on each 

 side a simple spine. Short, stout, simple spines, upon'each supraorbital margin, the front of 

 which is immediately above and behind the cavity containing the nostrils. The vertex 

 bears several similar sjjines. Many spines closely placed upon the humeral area. Numer- 

 ous short tentacles ui)on the margin of the disc and ou the sides of the trunk. The supra- 

 oral cavity is elliptical, small (horizontal diameter two-sevenths diameter of orbit), contain- 

 ing a well-developed, club-shaped, very perceptible tentacle. The width of the opening of 

 the anterior uo.stril, wliich is in a short tube, is one-half that of the posterior nostril, which 

 is not tubular. The width of the mouth is much less than the distance between the pupils 

 and is equal to the diameter of the orbit. 



The diameter of the orbit is contained SJ times in distance from snout to base of caudal, 

 6 times in distance from snout to origin of soft dorsal, (i.J times in distance to origin of anal, 

 3 times in distance to base of ventrals, and times in distance to angle between pectorals 

 and trunk, 4"5 times in distance- from snout to gill opening, G in greatest width of disc, and 

 nearly 2 in that of trunk. Width of iuterorbital area two-fifths diameter of orbit. 



Dorsal fin with 4 or .5 rays, the longest (1st) equal to diameter of orbit. Anal fin in- 

 serted under third ray of the dorsal, with 4 rays, the third or longest, very slightly longer 

 than the longest dorsal ray. 



Ventral fins inserted nearly under the middle of the disc, with one rudimentary and 

 5 dorsal rays, increasing in length posteriorly, the last and longest contained 5 times in 

 total length; distances betweou origins of ventrals (!i in total length. 



Pectorals with peduncles entirely included in common membrane, with blades far 

 back, horizontal, Ijnng close to trunk, composed of 16 rays, the middle or longest 3g in total 

 length. 



Caudal fin, rounded, coinpo.sed of 9 rays, the external rays, one above and two below, 

 simple, the others bifid; length of middle ray equal to that of trunk (measured tiom junc- 

 tion of pectorals to base of caudal rays) and slightly exceeding the longest pectoral ray. 

 Length of intestine contained If times in total length. 



' The rostral tentacle in SaUeutichthtjs is by no means obsolete, though it is said to be by all who liavo 

 discusaed the genus. 



