2078 Dullctin //, United States National Miiseuvi, 



upper rays longest, the lower becominc; regularly shortened; liones of 

 liead thin and yielding, the system of mucous canals very strongly 

 developed. Deep-sea Agonoids. (/^orO-us, deep; ^^ojms.) 



2422. BATHYAfiOXUS MORIPINMS/ Gilbert. 



B. 6 ; 1 D. 6 to 8; 2 D. 6 or 7 ; A. 7 to 9 ; P. 15 or 16 ; Y. 3 (I, 2) ; C. 1-11-1 ; ver- 

 tebripll + 34:^ (45). Pyloric cieca 5 (1 individual). Body depressed 

 throughout, depth % of width, the latter O? in body length; sharply octag- 

 onal, tail strongly depressed hexagonal, its lateral faces very narrow. 

 The ridges compressed; the small sharp spines present on all the ridges 

 from head t<> caudal except on the median ventral series of peduncle and 

 the first few plates beliind the pectoral in the imperfect lateral series. 

 One to 3 pairs of plates between last ray of second dorsal and first median 

 plate, and 1 or 2 pairs between last anal ray and first median plate; 1 or 2 

 plates in front of and 4 or 5 small, sharply spinous plates on base of pec- 

 torals; about 22 plates, radially striate, elevated at the center, some of 

 the strongest minutely spinous, on breast in a median and 2 lateral rows 

 (the latter continuous with the ventrolateral series) and in the ridge-like 

 rows forming the; edges of breast; no plates medially on posterior part of 

 the branchiostegal membrane or laterally on the anterior part ; from 1 to 3 

 or 4 well-developed plates on front part of lower side of lower jaw; the 

 membranaceous interval behind vent, between the ventrolateral series, 

 occupied by about 5 to 9 plates, partly arranged in pairs; none between 

 ventrals and vent. Head 4| to 5 in body, much depressed, its greatest 

 depth * of its greatest width, the latter equaling width of body ; snout 

 broad, flat, shovel-like, nearly equal to long diameter of orbit; orbit 

 oblong-oval, its vertical diameter | of the longitudinal, the latter 3 or a 

 little less in head; interorbital space concave, about as in triacanlhus, but 

 broader, with a pair of minor longitudinal ridges, about 9 in head, about 

 2 in vertical diameter of orbit; the moderate supraocular ridges ending 

 in a sharp spine, the scarcely developed occipital ridges with 2 pairs, of 

 which the anterior is low and blunt; the well-developed temporal ridge 

 with 2 or 3 small spines and terminating in a larger suprascapular spine; 

 bridge across cheek close under orbit with about 1 spine on i)reorbital, 3 

 on suborbital, and ending in 1 on preopercle; 1 of about the same size 

 below the last on preopercle. Cheek below ridge? with 2 to 4 (usually 3) 

 spinous plates; nasal spines «mall, sharp, directed backward; movable 

 median rostral plate small, varying in size and shape (disappearing with 

 the prolongation of lower jaw), its lateral expansions usually free, as 

 spines; 3 small upright diverging spines (only 2 systematically placed in 

 1 specimen). Mouth ol)lique, lower jaw somewhat protruding, maxillary 

 scarcely reaching front of orbit. Teeth moderate, present on jaws, vomer, 

 and palatines. Two barbels, 1 large and the other small, at tip of maxil- 



* Diagnosis: Body slender, taperiiii;- miifdnnly, depressed throiirrliout, its dei>tli }, of its 

 width at base of pe'ctorals, the latdi :V; in leniitli; head 4^ to 5 in length. Tlates in the 

 dorsal series 43 or 44 ; between oeciput and tiist dorsal 7 or 8; between dorsals (i, some- 

 times?; between ventrals and anal i:! to l.'i jiairs. Lower jaw inotnidiui;; L' barbels at 

 tip of each maxillary; median rostral ])late ])resent, with 3 small diverging spines; nasal 

 spines small, separate ; 1 pair supraocular a jid 2 pairs occipital spines. Gill membranes 

 .joined to isthmus. Under side dusky, lighter above; all the lias blue black. 



