STARGAZER FISHES — BERRY AND ANDERSON 579 



S.L., USNM 159650. 22°50' N., 79°08' VV., Oregon station 1344, 200-225 

 fathoms, July 16, 1955 (1), 66 mm. S.L., USNM 157986. 22°48' N., 79°09' W., 

 Atlantis station 3422, 235 fathoms, Apr. 30, 1939 (3 paratypes), 86.5-118 mm. 

 S.L., MCZ 35513. 22°50' N., 78°55' W., Atlantis station 3416, 200 fathoms, 

 Apr. 30, 1939 (2 paratypes), 70.5-75 mm. S.L., USNM 153580. 16°39' N., 

 81°43' W., Oregon station 1878, 125 fathoms, Aug. 22, 1957 (1), 98 mm. S.L., 

 UMML 4793. 16°39' N., 82°29' W., Oregon station 1870, 225 fathoms, Aug. 21, 

 1957 (1), 128 mm. S.L., TU 18848. 18°30' N., 65°59' W., Oregon station 2603, 

 230 fathoms, Sept. 25, 1959 (1), 85 mm. SL., USNM 195569. 



Kathelostoma sp.: 27°49' N., 84°12' W., Oregon station 939, 35 fathoms, 

 Mar. 18, 1934 (1), 21 mm. S.L., USNM 185674. 



Synonymy: Barbour (1941, p. 1), apparently noting only color 

 differences, described K. cubana as a subspecies of K. albiguita. 

 Because of the consistent and discrete color differences, differences in 

 pectoral ray counts and geographical and depth distribution, and 

 differences in modal numbers of anal soft rays, we evaluate K. cubana 

 as a distinct species. 



Diagnosis: No spinous dorsal fin. Dorsal soft rays 13 to 15. 

 Anal soft rays 13 or 14. Pectoral rays 17 or 18. Pelvic ra} r s I, 5, the 

 spine obscured by skin. Pelvic girdle with paired anterior processes 

 of conical spines protruding through the skin. Top of head covered 

 by exposed cranial bones; a shallow anterior recess of the frontal 

 bones between the eyes. Posterior nostrils not in fringed grooves. 

 Lower jaw without a pair of prominent converging bony ridges. 

 Preopcrculum with three spines extending from ventral margin; 

 operculum without a spine. Cleithral spine prominent, conical, 

 sharply pointed, and extending posterodorsally. No scales present 

 (scalelike structures present in lateral line). Lateral lines on each 

 side of body extending from head along back close to dorsal fin, 

 bending down to middle of caudal base, and ending between and 

 nearly at ends of central caudal rays. Barbour (1941, p. 2) recorded 

 fin counts as "usually with D. 11 and A. 11," but we have examined 

 five paratypes and six other specimens in which the counts are con- 

 sistently higher. 



Color: Ventral part of body unpigmented, sides of body and head 

 with faint pigment, dorsal surface of body and head mottled with 

 irregular dull brown spots. Pelvic and anal (ins unpigmented. 

 Pectoral fins faintly pigmented. Dorsal fin faintly pigmented along 

 the rays. Caudal fin with faintly pigmented spot on upper part of 

 base and a broad darker blackish stripe located about middle of fin. 



Size: Largest specimen reported about 146 mm. S.L. (7.75 inches 

 T.L.). Smallest specimen examined 54.5 mm. S.L. 



Range: Off the Little Bahama Banks, the Grand Bahama Banks, 

 the northern coast of Cuba, off eastern Puerto Rico, and in the Carib- 

 bean off eastern Honduras. All the known specimens but one have 



