Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 127 



and moderately divergent anteriorly; the antorbital cartilages are directed almost trans- 

 versely outward, their tips with several branches. 



Size. The maximum length recorded for any member of the genus is 490 mm 



(197,6 in-, P- 13 0- 



Range. Benthobatis has been found only on the continental slope off South Carolina 

 and northern Florida in 353 to 504 fathoms, along the northern coast of Cuba from 

 150 to 351 fathoms, off Travancore in India, and in the eastern side of the Arabian 

 Sea at 430 and 585 fathoms. 



The depths of capture, its apparent blindness, and the flabbiness of its body, 

 suggest that Benthobatis is confined to at least moderately deep water. Beyond this, 

 nothing whatever is known of the habits of the genus. Its embryos have not been 

 seen. The capture of the considerable series (listed, p. 128) by the Atlantis in 1938 

 and 1939 shows that it is more plentiful in suitable locations, latitudes and depths 

 than previous information might have suggested. 



Species. Three species have been named: B.moresbyi Alcock 1898,^" from the 

 coast of India and Arabian Sea; B. marcida and B. cervina Bean and Weed 1909,1'^ 

 from the continental slope of the northeastern United States. B. moresbyi is distinguished 

 by its uniformly velvet black hue from its Atlantic relative (or relatives) which are 

 fawn-colored with white markings above and white below. Also, the disc of B. moresbyi 

 is pictured 1" as being considerably narrower relatively than that in B. marcida. But 

 the only account of B. moresbyi is so brief that proportional comparisons in other respects 

 must await re-examination of it. 



Examination of the type specimens^'* of the two forms that have been named from 

 the Atlantic has convinced us that they represent a single species. Indeed, in the original 

 accounts the only comparison made between them states that the eyes of B. cervina 

 are less reduced than those of B. marcida. 



Key to Species 



I a. Fawn-colored above, with white markings; white below. 



marcida Bean and Weed 1909, p. 128. 



lb. Purplish-black above and perhaps below.^" 



moresbyi Alcock 1898. 



Off Travancore Coast, southern India, 



and eastern side of Arabian Gulf.''^ 



described in the original account of the type species of the genus. However, other specimens that we have seen are 

 firmer and the skins much stiffer, doubtless due to preservation in strong alcohol. 

 171. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist., (7) 2, 1S98: 145. 172. Proc. U.S. nat. Mus., j6, 1909: 677, 679. 



173. Alcock, 111. Zool. 'Investigator', .;, 1899: pi. 26, fig. i. 



174. Now in the U. S. National Museum. 



175. It is not clear from the original account of 5. moresbyi (Alcock, Ann. Mag. nat. Hist., [7] 2, 1898: 145) whether 

 the purplish-black color is confined to the upper surface or whether it extends to the lower surface as well. 



176. For list of references, see Fowler (Bull. U.S. nat. Mus., 100 [/j], 1941: 339)- 



