DISTRIBUTION AND GENERAL NOTES ON THE SPECIES 353 



This appears to be the normal habitat of the species (Norman, 1937, p. 105), and the brown and yellow 

 coloration would there have 'concealment value'. Ripe ova were present in two specimens taken at 

 St. WS 847 in February ; this suggests autumn spawning, and shows that the species really is very 

 small, for none more than 14 cm. long was taken, and yet two of these were mature: 

 WS847B 4 WSy4g 2 (in NR) Port Stanley 4 (A. G. B. coll) 



Crossostomus chilensis (Regan). We got no specimens of this species which, despite its name, is 

 known only from the holotype taken off the east coast of Tierra del Fuego. 



Crossostomus fmciatiis (Lonnberg) is only known from the holotype, taken at the Falkland Islands. 

 Norman (1937, p. 106) thought that it may really have been a young example of Austrolycus de- 



pressiceps. 



Pogonolycus elegans Norman. Five examples of this new species were obtained at four stations 

 ranging in depth from the ' first slope' to beyond the shelf edge. Three of these were in the southern 

 region, the other in the intermediate region. The colour sketch by E. R. Gunther (Norman, 1937, 

 pi. i, fig. 3) shows a pattern that probably has concealment value among the heavy sessile invertebrate 

 bottom fauna with which it was found. It was especially noted that its appearance coincided with 

 large catches of Cephalodiscus colonies : 



WS97 I WS749 I (in NR) 



WS246 I WS878 2(inNR) 



Platea insignis Steindachner. No specimens of this species were taken in the trawl, but a series was 

 obtained with ' Other gear' from two southern stations worked in shallow water. The colour scheme 

 is of the basic type so characteristic of most of the group in our area, consisting of more or less regularly 

 disposed bars, blotches or spots, contrasting in shade with the ground colour. In this species it is 

 the ground colour which is the paler : 



WS749 6 WS835 8 (in BTS, haul B) 



Maynea patagonica Cunningham. No specimens of this small, rare, probably coastal species were 

 obtained by us, but it is known to occur within the trawling survey area (Norman, 1937, p. 108). 



Maynea brevis Norman. Four specimens of this new species were taken in the trawl, two m the 



intermediate region and two farther south. Three were in moderately deep water near the edge of the 



shelf, and one in deeper water beyond the edge. This last was the largest specimen (length 16 cm.). 



Norman notes that it may eventually prove necessary to place this species in a distinct genus, and that 



its dentition approaches that found in the genus Melanostigma: 



WS216 I WS784 I 



WS244 I WS825 I 



Melanostigma gelatinosum Gunther. This species is known only from the unique holotype taken in 

 the Magellan Strait; it may yet be found more widely distributed in our area. 



Melanostigma microphthalmus Norman. Two specimens of this new species were trawled, both m 

 deep water south of the Falkland Islands : 



WS246 I WS248 I 



SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS ON ZOARCIDAE 



The eel-like shape and small size of most of the members of this family render it certain that they 

 cannot be adequately sampled by ordinary trawling. Moreover, many of the species are littoral in 

 habit while those dwelling at greater depths seem to favour very rough ground, with the dense sessile 



17-2 



