644 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



vol. 59. 



The types of the new species are presented to the United States 

 National Museum. A partial series is in the Bernice Pauahi Bishop 

 Museum of Honolulu, the gift of Mr. Reinhardt. 



Family MURAENESOCIDAE. 



RHECHIAS, new genus. 



This genus RhecMas seems to agree in nearly all respects with 

 Neoconger Girard, differing, however, in the hook-like armature of the 

 side of the upper jaw. 



(Vtjxos, thorn.) 



Type of the genus. — RhecMas armiger, new species. 



RHECHIAS ARMIGER, new species. 



Type.— Cat. No. 84097, U.S.N.M., about 5h inches long, much 

 shriveled, depth about two-fifths length of head. Head pointed, as 



■A\, 



Fig. 1.— Rhechias armiger, new species. 



broad as deep, triangular as seen from above. Body slender, not 

 much compressed, tapering to a very long and slender tail, which is 

 considerably longer than rest of body. Eye moderate, near middle 

 of cranium, about half snout, and 6^ in head, from tip of snout to gill 

 opening; gill opening lateral, vertical, its depth more than half eye; 

 interorbital space very narrow. Preorbital on each side with three 

 sharp stiff, hooked spines like bramble thorns, the first two turned 

 backward, the last forward; tongue not free; lower jaw a shade 

 shorter than upper, each with a narrow band of sharp, close-set, ir- 

 regular teeth, relatively large and larger in front, where in the upper 

 jaw they form a patch of small canines: a row of minute teeth on the 

 palatines. 



Posterior nostril an oblique slit just before eye; anterior nostril a 

 round pore without barbel at tip of snout. Branchiostegals, 9; pec- 



