882 Bulletin 4/, United States National Museum, 



400. PROMETHICHTHYS, Gill. 

 (Conejos.) 



Promethextf, Quoy & Gaimakd, MS. 



Prometheiis, Lowe, Trans. Zoiil. Soc. London, ii, 181, 1841, {allnvtiats) ; name iircocciipied. 

 f Dicrolus* Grsni-RR, Cat., ii, 349, 1860, {armatus). 



Promcthichthys, GiLL, Mem. Nat. Ac. Sci., vi, 115, 123,1893, {nlhinUcin!; substitute for rromi'lheus 

 of Lowe). 



Body elongate, slender, fusiform ; month large, -with two strong 

 canines in front of each jaw ; spinous dorsal long, contiguous to the soft, 

 ■which is rather high ; two finlets above and two below ; pectorals com- 

 paratively low ; caudal without keel; ventrals represented by a pair of 

 minute spines; no dagger-shaped spine behind vent. Preoperculum unarmed 

 except in young. Lateral line descending in an oblique line, undulat- 

 ing below the front of the spinous dorsal. Scales very minute, smooth. 

 Voracious fishes of the open seas, reaching a moderate size. {npo/iTjdy/c, 

 wary; /x^'fjfish.) 



0. Head short, 4 in length ; depth 7. Prometheus, 1271. 



aa. Head longer, 2% in length ; depth 6. pabvipi.nnis, 1272. 



1271. PROMETHICHTHYS PROMETHEUS, Cuvicr & Valenciennes. 

 (Kabbit Fish ; Coelho ; Conejo ; Bermuda Catfish.) 



Head 1 ; depth 7. D. XVIII-19 or 20-11 ; A. 16-11 ; V.I; vertebrje 30 -f 

 14 = 44. Body elongate, compressed throughout, nowherecarinate. Head 

 smooth; eyes prominent, the space between them flat, with a shallow 

 median groove. Mouth large, the gape about reaching middle of eye. 

 Both jaws with an outer row of about 25 short, strong, compressed 

 triangular teeth ; anterior canines similar but much stronger ; vomer 

 toothless ; palatines with fine close-set teeth. First dorsal low, its spines 

 weak, with fragile membrane; second dorsal high; caudal forked. Ven- 

 trals reduced lo two small blunt scale-like spines, much larger in the 

 young, where minute rays are also present. Lateral line abruptly bent 

 downward under front of dorsal, without dorsal branch. Scales minute, 

 apparently wanting; vertical fins with rudimentary scales. Uniform 

 deep coppery brown in life, with metallic iridescence, with some blackish 

 cloudings ; fins more or less dusky. Tropical islands of the Atlantic, in 

 deep water; west to Cuba and the Bermudas ; not very common. (Lowe.) 



*The generic name, Durolns, was given to a very young fish, Dicrotns armatm, Gf'NTHER, from 

 unknown locality. The characters of Dia-olus are those of larval Gempylinx and Thiirsilinie. 

 In those larvte the ventral spines are elongate, tlie preopercle armed with spines, the finlets con- 

 nected with the body of the fin, the anal spines more developed, and the body short. Liitkon 

 regards Dicrotns armatus as the young of Promelliirlilliii.i jinniietheiis, in which case the name 

 Dicrotns (6iKpoTOs, two-oared), would" supersede I'mnielhirhlhi/s. The description of Dicmlus, 

 however, applies better to PromethU-hthys j)ro»it77io«ies (BleeUer), an East Indian species having 

 D. XVIII-II, 15-11, A. II, 14, II, and two Lateral lines. Tliis species apparently belongs to 

 a different genus from Promethichtliys prntnethens. For this latter genus, the name Dicrolvs should 

 be retained. 



The following is the generic description of Dicrolus : " Body rather elongate, compressed ; 

 cleft of mouth wide. First dorsal continuous, with the spines of moderate strength, and 

 extending on to the second; finlets none. Ventral reduced to a long, crenulated siiinc. Pre- 

 operculum with several spines at the angle. Body naked Several strong canines in the jaws; 

 minute teeth on vomer and jiahitine bones. No keel on tail. Seven branchiostegals. I'seudo- 

 brauchia' present. (GUuther.) Fin rays D. XVIII, 18 ; A. II, IG; V. I, in Dicrolus urmalns. 



