205 



PlecfrotNiis uiacropJithaluius, ii.sp. 



(Plate XIII., fig. 2.) 



Br. 8. D. II II. A. I 9. V. I (II. ?) 7. L. 1. 39. L. tr. 7. 



Height of body nearly 4 times in length. Caudal peduncle 

 long and slender, its least height being less than ^ of that of 

 body. Length of head 3 times. Eye large, its diameter one 

 half the height of the body and nearly 2^ times in length of 

 head. Snout about -| diameter of eye, rounded. Lower jaw 

 projecting slightly beyond upper. Maxillary extends to below 

 middle of eye. Pectorals 'ong, reaching beyond the 

 vent nearly to posterior end of dorsal or middle of anal, 

 slightly longer than length of head. Ventrals reach nearly to 

 vent. Dorsal overlaps anal, the commencement of which falls 

 under the 7th ray of dorsal. 



The body is covered with large deciduous scales, a few of 

 which were left under the pectoral. These were large 

 (2*4 mm. in diameter, or about half the diameter of 

 the eye), thin and almost circular in outline. The head region 

 was somewhat damaged, but apparently had been covered by a 

 delicate skin with no scales. There are four suborbital 

 glandular openings, 6 on preoperculum, 3 under mandible, and 

 several on nape of neck extending forward to snout. The 

 operculum has three ridges radiating from a centre. The first 

 is directed upwards and backwards, the second horizontally 

 backwards, and the third downwards. Between the first and 

 second there is a series of about six smaller ridges radiating 

 from the same centre. The tops of these and of the second 

 ridge were found to project through the skin in the form of 

 small spines, so that the operculum cannot be described as 

 unarmed. There is a horizontal ridge of the shoulder girdle 

 immediately over the base of the pectoral, but no spine. The 

 condition of the specimen rendered it doubtful whether there 

 are one or two spines in the ventral. Total length, including 

 caudal, 42 mm. 



In the large eye, long caudal peduncle and position of 

 anal relatively to dorsal this species resembles Mclampliaes 

 niegalops Liitken (Plecfroiiuis megalops, Goode and Bean) 

 and apparently belongs to the same genus, but it differs from 

 it in the oblique insertion of the dorsal and anal and the long 

 ventrals characteristic of that species. 



Locality : The single specimen procured was obtained by 

 shrimp trawl, Cape Point Light-house bearing S, 83° E ; 

 distant 35^ miles ; depth, 360 fathoms. 



