2498 Bulletin //, United States National Museum. 



Family CCXI. BROTULID^E. 

 (The Brotuloid Fishes.) 



Body elongated, compressed, regularly tapering behind, the tail generally 

 subtrnucate at base of caudal fin, not isocercal; vent submedian; scales 

 cycloid and minute, embedded in the lax skin, which more or less envelops 

 the fins, sometimes wanting; gill openings very large, the membranes 

 mostly free fiom the isthmus; vertical tins united or contiguous at base of 

 caudal; dorsjil fin commencing not far from nape; caudal narrow or 

 pointed; ventral fins small, few-rayed, attached to the humeral arch and 

 more or less in advance of pectoral. Pyloric cjeca few (1 or 2), rarely 

 obsolete or in increased number (12); maxillaries generally enlarged 

 behind and pioduced toward their upper angle. (Gill.) PseudobranchisB 

 small or wanting, hypercoracoid with the usual foramen, as in Blennioid 

 fishes. These fishes are closely related to the Zoarcidw. In spite of various 

 external resemblances to the Gadida-, their affinities are rather with the 

 Blennioid forms than with the latter. Genera about 45, species about 100; 

 largely (if the dejiths of the sea; 2 species degenerated into blind cave fishes. 

 We have not had material for any elaborate study of these fishes and fol- 

 low closely the arrangemmenfc given by Goode & Bean. {Brotuloidw, Gill, 

 Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1863, 252, and 1884, 175.) 



P.ROTULIN.E : 



a. Snout and lower jaw each with well-developed barbels; vertical fins united; teetli 

 on vomer and palatines. 

 h. Ventrals each reduced to a bifid filament. Brotula, 953. 



aa. Snout and lower jaw without barbels. 



LUCIFUGIN/'E : 



c. Species blind, dwelling in fresh-water streams in caves; barbels replaced by 

 cilia. 

 d. Palatines with strong teeth ; teeth in lower jaw strong. Stygicola, 954. 

 dd. Palatines toothless; teeth in jaws villiform. Lucifuga, 955. 



cc. Species marine, the eyes usually well developed. 

 BrOSMOPHYCIN^ : 



e. Caudal tin dilferentiated, on a distinct caudal peduncle. 



/. Snout and lower jaw with small cilia; head naked, or nearly so. 



Brosmophycis, 956. 

 ff. Snout and lower jaw without cilia; head more or less scaly. 



Ogilbia, 957. 

 ee. Caudal fin not differentiated, without distinct peduncle. 

 Bythitin.15 : 

 g. Ventrals inserted on the isthmus, not far from the humeral 

 symphysis. 

 h. Pectorals normal, simple: eyes present. 



i. Lateral line present posteriorly, but broken in the middle; 

 palatines with teeth; ventrals a pair of filaments each 

 (if 2 closely united rays. Bythites, 958. 



a. Lateral line obsolete posteriorly. 

 j. Ventrals each of a single ray. 



k. Lateral line distinct on frsnt of body. 



I. Preopercle without spines ; he.ad scaly (ex- 

 cept snout) ; opercle with a single spine; 

 vent median. Cat;etyx, 959. 



