Jordan and Evcrniann. — Fishes of North America. 26G7 



1045. PERISSIAS, Jordan & Evermaun. 



Pei-issias, Jordan i- P^vermann, uew genus [tteneoptiTus). 



This genus differs from PJaiophrys in the larger scales, narrower interor- 

 bital, and especially in the greatly produced ribbon-like lobe at the iront 

 of the dorsal. From Engyprosopon it differs in the short thick gill rakers 

 and in the produced dorsal rays. The lateral line is wanting on the blind 

 side. Deep sea. (7irepi(j(Jo?, strange.) 



3037. PERISSIAS TJENIOPTEBUS (Gilbert). 



Head 3f; depth 2^. D. 86 to 88; A. 67 to 70; scales 60 to 65, the arch 

 with 15 pores ; 20 scales in a series running upward and backward from 

 lateral line. Body elongate; caudal tin subsessile, the last anal and dor- 

 sal rays inserted near rudimentary caudal rays ; height of caudal peduncle 

 4 in height of body; upi)er profile descending very obliquely anteriorly, 

 a slight reentrant angle in frout of lower eye; in males the profile slightly 

 angulated in front of upper orbit, below which it ascends more steeply; 

 lower eye much in advance of upper ; in females eyes close together, the 

 vertical from middle of lower eye passing through front of upper orbit; 

 diameter of upper orbit 3.V in head ; in males the lower eye may be entirely 

 in advance of upper; in females 3 inches long, and in very young males 

 the interorbital space is a narrow, concave, scaleless groove, less than 

 diameter of pupil, running into a deep pit behind lower eye; in males 2 

 inches long the interorbital space has already widened, and in specimens 

 3^ inches long is as wide as longitudinal diameter of orbit; it is traversed 

 by an oblique ridge running upward and l)ackward from front of lower 

 eye, separating the anterior scaleless portion from the deep scalely pit 

 behind; supraorbital ridge of lower eye serrated, forming a strong series 

 of spines, less marked in females; anterior rim of upper orbit similarly 

 but less strongly marked; a strong double spine on maxillary in front of 

 nostrils; a spine near end of maxillary in males; mouth small, maxillary 

 not reaching frout of pupil, equaling diameter of orbit; teeth small, in a 

 single close-set series in each jaw, e<iually developed on both sides, with 

 enlarged canines; gill rakers very short and weak, 8 on horizontal limb; 

 anterior nostrils with very short Haps; dorsal beginning above front of 

 lower eye; in all specimens, females as well as males, the first 2 rays 

 detached from the rest of fin, the second ray produced into a flat, ribbon- 

 shaped filament about as long as head ; dorsal and anal rays all uubranched ; 

 median caudal rays forked ; no anal spine ; ventral of colored side on ridge 

 of abdomen, the 2 anterior rays in males connected by membrane at base 

 only, produced into flat filainents as long as head, extending far beyond 

 front of anal; pectoral of left side well developed, but small, slightly 

 more than i head ; that of blind side little developed, about i diameter 

 of orbit; scales of left side strongly ctenoid, absent on interorbital space, 

 snout, maxillary, and mandible; lateral line Avith strong curve anteriorly, 

 the cord of which is contained 5 times in straight portion. Along lateral 

 line are occasional broad cutaneous flaps, colored blue in life; scales of 

 blind side cycloid, the tubes of lateral line obsolete, the course of lateral 



