HALAELURUS. 81 



Nostrils large, far apart, much nearer to the end of the snout than to the angles 

 of the mouth; anterior valve broad, produced at the outer angle, not reaching 

 the lip. Mouth very large, half as long as wide, straight on each side and 

 broadly rounded in front, capable of much enlargement, the jaws being loosely 

 joined at the symphyses; labial folds quite rudimentary, a small rounded upper- 

 lip overhanging each angle. Orbit elongate; lower eyelid included by the 

 upper when closed. Teeth minute, tricuspid; cusps conical at the apex, striate 

 near the bases; rows ill- Spiracle very small, close behind the eye. Gill 

 openings moderate, width equal preoral length of snout, or length of orbit. 

 Pectorals large, as broad as long, angles rounded, hind margin nearly straight. 

 First dorsal much smaller than the pectoral, base little longer than the inter- 

 dorsal space, origin above front edge of vent, hind margin truncate, upper angle 

 rounded, hinder of 90°. Second dorsal small, base equal two thirds of that of 

 the first dorsal, equal the distance from the caudal, base above the hinder two 

 thirds of the base of the anal, upper angle broadly rounded, hinder produced 

 and ending opposite that of the anal. Anal nearly as large as the first dorsal, 

 much larger than the second, hind angle produced, length of base equal two 

 thirds of its distance from the caudal. Caudal about one fifth of the total 

 length, moderately deep; subcaudal portion with a feeble rounded production 

 or lobe; terminal subtruncate, a notch at its lower edge. Total length 39, 

 snout to abdominal pores 22, snout to dorsal 21, snout to pectoral 85, snout to 

 mouth lj, and caudal 8| inches. 



Rusty brown irregularly and profusely spotted and clouded with darker, on 

 upper and lower surfaces; little lighter below. A yellowish band crosses the 

 head between the eyes and is followed by a band of dark on the occiput, an in- 

 definite cross band of dark passes through the bases of the pectorals, another 

 behind them across the middle of the body, another through each dorsal, and 

 one through the forepart of the caudal and one through its middle. 



Japan. Alan Owston collection. 



Halaelurus. 



Halaelurus Gill, 1861, Ann. N. Y. lye, 7, p. 407, 412. 



Body short, caudal section longer. Head short, depressed; snout short. 

 Nostrils with two valves; anterior not reaching the mouth, widely separated 

 across the internarial space; cirrus absent or rudimentary. No nasoral groove. 

 Mouth large, with a labial fold on each jaw around the angles. Teeth small, 

 numerous, with three to five cusps, rarely without lateral cusps. Spiracle small, 



