2482 Bulletin //, United States National Museum. 



946. LEPOPHIDIUM, Gill. 



Leptophidium, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pliila. 1863, 210 (profundorum) ; same preoccupied 



in Serpents by Leptophidiuiii, Hallowell, 1860. 

 Lepophidium, Gill, Amer. Nat., Feb., 1895, 16 (profundorum) . 



Body much elongate, moderately compressed, with back and abdominal 

 regions arched, more comjiressed and slowly decreasing in height back- 

 ward to an abruptly rounded point; scales regularly imbricated in quin- 

 cunx oval, and with striie radiating backward; head with imbricated 

 scales, extending to forehead; snout bigh, projecting forward, and 

 obtusely rounded, armed above with a short, nearly concealed spine 

 directed forward and somewhat downward, obsolete in 1 species; mouth 

 moderate, oblique; teeth of jaws villiform, immersed in a mncous mem- 

 brane, separated by an interval from tbe longer ones in the outer row, 

 which are pointed and usually movable; vomer and palatines with teeth. 

 Deep waters of America on both coasts. Perhaps a fuller knowledge of 

 the species of this genus will lead to its subdivision. (Af'aros, scale ; Ojphid- 

 iiim, from the squamation.) 



a. Snout without decurved hook or spine ; gill rakers 8 ; head 5 in length ; depth 7 ; 

 liectorals 10 ; body marbled, the vertical fins edged with black. 



M ARMOR ATOM, 2846. 



aa. Snout with a decurved hook or spine at tip, sometimes more or less concealed in 

 the skin. 

 b. Gill rakers 7 to 9 in number. 



e. Head large, 3J to 4J in lengtli. 



d. Body stoutish, tbe dejith 6 in length; scales 125; no black blotch on 



front of dorsal. e'mmelas, 2847. 



dd. Body slender, the depth 9^ in length; dorsal with a black blotch in 



front; scales 180. STiGMATisrroM, 2848. 



cc. Head moder:xte, 6 in length; depth 10; vertical fins black-edged. 



e. Anterior teeth in jaws movable; pectftral 11 in body; body without 



white spots. profundorum, 2849. 



ee. Anterior teeth in. jaws not movable; pectoral 13 to 14 in body; body 



with whitish spots. CKEVINUM, 2850. 



bb. Gill rakers 4 in number. 



/. Scales moderate, 175 to 200 in lateral line. 



g. Body without dark cross bars ; dorsal and anal margined with black ; 

 air bladder oblong. 

 h. Head 4i in length ; depth 8; pectoral lOJ. Pacific species. 



PRORATES, 2851. 



hh. Atlantic species imperfectly described. brevibarbe, 2852. 



gg. Body with dark cross bars ; dorsal spotted with black ; anal wholly 



black ; head 5|- in length ; depth Si. pardale, 2853. 



ff. Scales minute, about 250 in lateral line; head 4g; depth 7J to 8; color 



nearly plain, the fins dark edged. MiCROLtfPis, 2854. 



2840. LEPOPHIDIUM MARMORATUM (Goode & Bean). 



Head 5; depth 7*; eye 4 in head; snout about 5. Body somewhat 

 elongate, stoutish anteriorly, gradually tapering; head thickish; inter- 

 orbital area broad, convex, its width nearly e([ual to length of snout, 

 which is blunt, spineless; eye circular, somewhat exceeding length of 

 snout. Maxillary extending to vertical through posterior margiu of orbit, 



