1090 Bulletin /7, United Stales National Museum, 



733. ZESTICELUS, .loidau & Everman. 



Zcsticelus, Jordan & Evekmann, Check-List Fishes, 443, 1896 (profundorum) . 



Deep-se;i scnlpins, closely allied to Porocoltus, Init with the skeleton 

 little developed, the head soft and spongy, filled with mucous channels, 

 the skin perfectly smooth, the lateral line reduced to a series of separate 

 open pores, the vertical fins few-rayed and weak. Preopercular spint^ 

 slender, curved upward. Deep seas; 2 species known; probably degraded 

 from Porocottus, the soft skeleton and feeble structure being results of 

 deep-sea life. (C£(5r6;, soft-boiled, leelus, a son of the god of sleep.) 



a. Dorsal rays VI or VII, 10 to 13 ; anal rays 8 to 11 ; pectoral 20 ; upper preopercular 

 spine usually not reaching opercular margin. peofundorum, 2361. 



2;$61. ZESTICELUS PROFUNDORUM (Gilbert). 



Head 2|; depth 5. D. VI or VII, 10 to 13; A. 8 to 11; pectoral 20; ven- 

 tral I, 3; lateral line with 17 pores. From above the head appears 

 smooth and evenly rounded, without projecting spines or ridges. The 

 occipital depression is very shallow, the occipital ridges depressed, scarcely 

 noticeable, ending in depressed spines, which are made out with difflculty. 

 Nasal spines undeveloped, the nasal bone small, posteriorly pointed, but 

 not furnished with a projecting spine. Upper preopercular spine strongly 

 compressed, curved upward, not reaching opercular margin, its leugth 

 equaling diameter of eye; no spine at its base in front; below it 2 

 short, strong spines directed downward and backward, and 1 more slen- 

 der downward and forward; opercle with a longitudinal rib ending iu a 

 short spinous point; a short spine on angle of opercle, and 1 below it on 

 interopercle. Mucous canals everywhere greatly enlarged, giving a 

 spongy texture to the entire head; series of very conspicuous pores on the 

 preojiercle, the mandible, and below suborbital chain. Mouth broad, 

 oblique, the maxillary reaching middle of pupil, 2^ in head; mandible 

 slightly protruding. Minute teeth in upper jaw, anteriorly in 2 rather 

 distinct rows, laterally iu narrow bands; teeth on vomer, none on pala- 

 tines. Eye longer than snout, 3| to 4 in head. Interorbital width i di- 

 ameter of orbit. Gill membranes widely joined, with a wide free poste- 

 I'ior edge; no slit nor pore behind I'ast gill. Body smooth, without plates, 

 granulations, or filaments; no plates developed in connection with the 

 lateral line; pores of lateral line in a double series, the 2 closely approxi- 

 mated, those of the lower series much the larger; no evident tubercles by 

 which these communicate with the main canal. Longest rays of second 

 dorsal i length of head, twice the longest dorsal spine; pectoral reaching 

 front of anal or slightly beyond; ventrals short, not nearly reaching vent. 

 Upper parts very light brownish, the belly and sides below lateral line 

 dark brown; tins blackish; mouth and gill cavity dark. A deep-sea 

 form, characterized l)y the obsolescence of the occipital and nasal spines, 

 the absence of the accessory spine in advance of upper preopercular spine, 

 and in the more numerous rays of dorsal and anal fins. Length about 2 



