224 BULLETIN OF THE 



MURyENESOCID^. 



46. Nettastoma procerum, new species. 



Two specimens of a species of Nettastoma were obtained at Station 325, 

 Lat. 33° 35' 20", Long. 76°, at a depth of 647 fathoms. Another (mutilated), 

 something over 190 mm. long, was taken at Station 327. The species is in 

 many respects closely allied to the Nettastoma melanurum of the Mediterra- 

 nean, but appears to differ from it in the greater length of the tail, the much 

 smaller teeth, and in the presence of a filamentous nasal tip. 



Dcscri}-)tion. — Body anguilliform, very elongate, compressed, — posteriorly 

 greatly so, — and tapering to a very slender attenuate point. Its greatest 

 height is contained nearly four times in tlie distance from the gill opening to 

 the tip of the lower jaw, and eqftals half the length of the snout. Head slen- 

 der, conical : jaws somewhat depressed : the upper jaw heavier and thicker, 

 and projecting beyond the lower a distance equal to the diameter of the eye. 

 Length of snout equals the distance from the posterior margin of the orbit to 

 the gill opening : the cleft ot the mouth extends far behind the eye to a dis- 

 tance equal to the diameter of the eye. On each side of the upper jaw, and in 

 advance of the eye, are twelve pores ; behind each eye are three pores, while 

 on the median line, on the top of the upper jaw, are several pores posteriorly 

 arranged in pairs, of which there are four, the ultimate pair being between the 

 posterior nostrils. There is also a pair of pores upon the nape, connecting the 

 postorbital rows, and seventeen on each side of the mandible. The man- 

 dibulary series is continued by another series extending over the cheeks and 

 nape. The snout is provided with a slender, filamentous tip, whose length is 

 equal to twice the diameter of the eye. The tongue is apparently absent in 

 the specimens examined by us. The teeth are arranged as in N. melanurum, 

 but exceedingly small, and much less conspicuous than in the figures of Kaup 

 and Risso. 



Dorsal fin commences above the gill opening. 



The anal fin is inserted under the 73d dorsal ray at a distance from the 

 snout equal to 3f times the length of the head. The tail is twice as long as 

 the body with 'the head included. The total length of the specimen is 727 

 millimeters, including the nasal tip, which measures 7 mm. 



Lateral line highly specialized, with numerous pores, corresponding in gen- 

 eral character to those upon the head, and arranged in a deep furrow, their 

 distances apart being about the same as in the case of those upon the head. 

 Height of dorsal and anal fins about equal to half the height of body. 



Color apparently brownish ; peritoneum black. 



