0. 1303. JAPANESE OPHIDIOID FISHES— JORDAN AND FO WLER. 753 



ilaiiionts, the long-est about 1^^ in head, and their bases anterioi' to the 

 niddlo of the eye. Lateral line superior, on the back, and concurrent 

 vith its dorsal outline to the base of the caudal. Air bladder large, 

 hick, and short, Avith a large foramen. 



Color in alcohol plain uniform brown, the edges of the caudal, 

 lorsal, and anal blackish brown; opercles brassy. 



Length, 83V inches (204 millimeters). 



Type. — No. 7123, Ichthyological collections, Leland Stanford Junior 

 Jni versify Museum. Localit3^ Misaki; presented by the Imperial 

 Jniversity of Tokyo. 



{((.s/'ro, the vernacular name.) 



Family V. BROTLTLID.E. 



Body elongate, compressed, regularly tapering behind, the tail gen- 

 irally subtruncate at base of caudal tin, not isocercal; vent sulmiedian; 

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

 mvelopes the tins, sometimes wanting; mouth large, with teeth usuall}' 

 n broad bands on jaws, vomer, and palatines; gill-openings ver}^ large, 

 he meml)ranes mostlj^ free from the isthmus; vertical tins united or 

 ontinuous at base of caudal; dorsal fin beginning not far from nape; 

 ;audal narrow or pointed; ventral fins small, few-rayed,. attached to 

 he humeral arch and more or less in advance of pectoral. Pyloric 

 ;»ca few (L or 2), rarely obsolete or in increased number (12); max- 

 llaries generally enlarged behind and produced toward the upper 

 ,ngle. Pseudobranchite small or wanting, hypercoracoid with the 

 isual foramen, as in Blennioid fishes. These fishes are closely related 

 o Zoarcidi*'. In spite of curious external reseml)lances to the Gadidse., 

 heir affinities are decidedlv with the Blennioid forms rather than with 

 he latter. Species largeW of the depths of the sea; 2 species in Cuba 

 legenerated into l)lind cave fishes. 



;. Brutuliiuc: Snout and lower jaw each with about .3 long barbels; vertical tins 

 united; ventrals close together, each of two rays divided at the tips . .Brotula, 7 

 ',a. Snout and lower jaw without barbels. 

 b. Bi/thitina': Caudal not differentiated, on a distinct caudal peduncle; eyes well 

 developed; body scaly; ventrals inserted on the isthmus near the humeral 

 symphysis; deep-sea species. 

 '■. Pectoral fins normal, the lower rays not elongate. 



'I. Ventral fins close together, each of a single undivided ray; lateral line sim- 

 ple, obsolete behind; i:)reopercle unarmed; operele with a single spine. 

 e. Head naked, covered with loose skin, with fine papilla?; bones of skull 



extremely cavernous Mi/.voa'phalut<, 8 



ee. Head largely scaly Sirembo, 9 



(Id. Ventral fins of two rays each, separated at tip. 

 /. Lateral line simple, indistinct posteriorly. 

 g. Preopercle unarmed; head large. 



]i. Ventral fins well separated, rather long Bassoglgas, 10 



g</. Preopercle with 2 spines; head extremely scaly Watasen, 11 



Proc. N. M. vol. XXV— 02 48 



