Jordan and Evermann. — Fishes of North America. 837 



One dorsal fin, short, with a few spines in front. Ventral rays I, 6. Deep- 

 sea fishes, allied to the Bcrycida', 2 genera and 10 species known. ( Trachich- 

 thijidce, Goode & Bean, Oceanic Ichthyology, 187, 1895.) 

 a. Vomer toothless ; opercle entire ; anal spines 3. Hoplostetiiu.s, "A'b. 



375. HOPLOSTETHUS, Cuvier &. Valenciennes. 



HoploatethuK, CuviER & Valknciicnnes, Hist. Nat. Poias., Tv, 469, lJ''2t), {mediU-rraneus). 



Body short and deep, much compressed. Head short, compressed, very 

 blunt anteriorly, deeper than long, with very conspicuous mucous cavi- 

 ties. Eye very large. Mouth very oblique, the jaws eiiual when the 

 mouth is closed. Maxillary long, broad behind, with a distinct supple- 

 mental bone, which reaches the posterior border of the eye. Teeth very 

 fine, villiform, on jaws and palatines, none on the vomer. Suborbital 

 with radiating ridges and a few spines; a vertical ridge on the front of 

 the opercle. Opercle little developed, its spine small or obsolete ; a strong 

 spine at the angle of the preopercle; the long vertical limb of the pre- 

 opercle finely serrated. Gill membranes separate, free from the isthmus. 

 Branchiostegals 8. Scales moderate or small, ctenoid ; lateral line pres- 

 ent, its scales enlarged ; abdomen with a series of bony plates, each end- 

 ing in a retrose spine. Dorsal fin continuous, short, the spines graduated, 

 6 in number; anal with 3 graduated spines ; caudal forked, its rudimen- 

 tary rays spinous ; pectorals low, rather long ; veutrals I, 6, rather short. 

 Air bladder simple. Pyloric citca numerous. Vertebra- 11 -|- 15. Deep- 

 sea fishes. Red in color. {ijnXov, armor; (rrz/^of, bi-east.) 



1218. HOPLOSTETHUS MEDITERRANEUS, Cuvier k Valenciennes. 



Head 2^ ; depth If ; eye very large, much longer than snout, about 3. 

 D. VI, 12 to 15 ; A. Ill, 8 to 11 ; scales 28 to 31. Abdominal serra* 9 to 13 

 in number. Body above with very small roughish scales ; sides nearly 

 or quite naked (in the young example seen), scaly in the adult. Pec- 

 torals reaching first soft ray of anal ; ventrals to Aent; fins rather low. 

 Silvery, rosy in life; fins scarlet: peritoneum and inside of mouth black. 

 Coasts of southern Europe, in deep water; numerous specimens taken in 

 the Gulf Stream by the Alhatro.su and Fish Hawk in about 200 fathoms. 

 Also found in Japan, if H. japonicuH is the same species, as Dr. Giinther 

 has supposed. 



lliiploKlelliKs mediterranms, Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., iv, 469, 1829, Mediter- 

 ranean Sea ; GiiNTHER, Cat., i, 9, 1859 ; Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 458, 188.3 ; Gooi>e k 

 Bean, Oceanic Ichthyology, 181, 1)595. 



Trnchichlhua prethsKx, Lowe, Proc. Zoiil. Soc. Lonil., 1S30, 77, Madeira. 



f Hoplnxlelhus Japoiiicns, Hilgendorf, Sitz. Ges. Xaturtorschende Frcunde, Berlin, 78, 1S79, 

 Japan ; apparently a variety or species with slightly smoother scales. 



Family CXIV. BERYCID^. 



(The Bekycoids.) 



Body oblong or ovate, compressed, covered with ctenoid or cycloid, 

 foliate or granular scales. Head with large muciferous cavities, covered 



