Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 331 



Trunk slender, its height at origin of ist dorsal about Vfi its length to origin of 

 caudal. Midline of back with a low but unmistakable dermal ridge from close behind tip 

 of first dorsal to a point about as far in front of origin of 2nd dorsal as length of base of 

 latter." Upper precaudal pit subrectangular in outline, the lower pit more obtusely angular 

 and only faintly marked. Dermal denticles small, regularly overlapping, with 3 or some- 

 times 5 low ridges, the apical margin with a corresponding number of teeth, the axial only 

 a little larger than the pairs flanking it. 



Head a little less than % (22 to 24%) of total length, nearly as wide at eyes as at 

 origin of pectorals, and about % as wide opposite outer ends of nostrils as at eyes. Snout 

 rather thin-tipped, broadly rounded, its length in front of a line connecting outer ends of 

 nostrils about 70% as great as distance between inner ends of latter, its length in front of 

 mouth about V3 of length of head. Eye nearly circular, its diameter about Vs as long as dis- 

 tance between inner ends of nostrils. First gill opening about i % times as long as diameter 

 of eye, the 3rd slightly longest, the 5th about % as long as ist, the 4th and 5th more nar- 

 rowly spaced than ist to 4th, the space between 3rd and 4th above origin of pectoral. Nos- 

 tril strongly oblique, its inner end nearer to mouth than to tip of snout by a distance about 

 equal to diameter of eye, the anterior margin only very slightly expanded toward inner 

 end, without definite lobe. Mouth ovate, about 70% as high as broad. 



Teeth ''^"^"' ;° upper teeth broadly triangular, the ist tooth erect and nearly 

 symmetrical, with both margins slightly concave and strongly serrate, especially toward 

 base, the 2nd and successive teeth increasingly oblique with inner margins slightly 

 convex and outer margins notched more and more deeply toward angles of jaws, their 

 inner edges serrate, their outer margins similarly so on cusps and even more coarsely 

 so on basal sectors where the ist one or two serrations are the most prominent} lower 

 teeth with narrow, lanceolate cusps on broad bases, symmetrical and erect along entire 

 jaw, their edges smooth, or at most slightly wavy or irregularly serrate toward tips; 

 I or 2 very small symmetrical teeth with notched margins at symphysis in upper jaw, and 

 I minute, slender, symmetrical tooth in lower; outermost teeth in each jaw also very small. 



Vertical height of ist dorsal about as great as length of snout in front of mouth, or 

 about % length of pectoral, its origin a little posterior to inner corner of pectoral, its 

 anterior margin weakly convex, the apex moderately to broadly rounded, the posterior 

 margin convex distally but very deeply concave proximally, the free rear corner only mod- 

 erately slender, a little less than ^2 as long as base. Second dorsal only about V3 as long at 

 base as ist dorsal, its origin about over or a little anterior to that of anal," its anterior mar- 

 gin nearly straight, posterior margin moderately concave, its apex rounded, the free rear 

 corner very slender and noticeably elongate, being more than twice as long as the vertical 

 height, and a little longer than the base, extending nearly % of the distance from rear end 

 of base toward precaudal pit. Caudal between V4 and V3 of total length, its upper margin 



8. In preserved specimens this ridge may lie along a deep longitudinal furrow of muscular contraction. 



9. Fourteen teeth could be counted in the side of each jaw in one specimen, with perhaps another very small one at 

 the corner. 



10. It is difficult to determine its point of origin exactly in the specimens seen. 



