598 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 112 



27, p. 4, 1937 (detailed measurements) ; Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., vol. 86. p. 

 147, 1938 (Western North Atlantic). — ? Norman, John Murray Expedition, 

 1933-34, Scientific reports, vol. 7, No. 1, p. 20, 1939 (Indian Ocean, depths 

 400 to 3,872 meters). — Nybelin, Goteborgs Vet. Vitterh. Samh. Handl., 

 ser. B., vol. 5, No. 16, p. 23, 1948 (Eastern North Atlantic).— ? Smith, 

 The sea fishes of southern Africa, p. 107, 1949 (off the "Cape" in 1,000 

 fathoms). — Marshall, Aspects of deep sea biology, New York, p. 278, figs. 

 XI, 6-7, 1954. — ? Fowler, Fishes of the Red Sea and southern Arabia, 

 Jerusalem, vol. 1, p. 86, 1956 (Red Sea). — ? Guenther and Deckert, Creatures 

 of the deep sea, New York, p. 119, fig. 79, 1956 (all oceans). 



Argyropelecus hemigymnus, Goode and Bean, Oceanic ichthyology . . . , U.S. 

 Nat. Mus. Spec. Bull., No. 2, p. 126, pi 39, fig. 147, 1895 (figure of holotype 

 of A. affinis, USNM 44593 and USNM 31709).— Griffini, Ittiologia italiana 

 . . . ed. Hoepli, p. 261, fig. 141, 1903 (Mediterranean). 



Argyropelecus olfersi, Barnard, A pictorial guide to South African fishes, marine 

 and fresh water, p. 48, pi. 6, fig. 14, 1947 (South Africa). 



Argyropelecus, Beebe, The Arcturus adventure, New York, pp. 65, 390, pi. 8 in 

 color, 1926 (lat. 26°43' N., long. 48°52' W.). 



Study material: MCZ, Atlantis station 2994, lat. 23°24' N.' 

 long. 80°50' W., depth 565-585 fathoms, February 15, 1938, 1 spec- 

 imen, 48 mm. USNM 44593, holotype of A. affinis, Albatross station 

 2117, lat. 15°24'40" N., long. 63°31'30" W., depth 683 fathoms, 

 standard length 31.5 mm. USNM 31709, Albatross, August 18, 1882, 

 lat. 39°56' N., long. 70°35' W., depth 245 fathoms, 1 specimen, 22.5 

 mm. USNM 102776, Johnson-Smithsonian Expedition, February 

 9, 1933, off Puerto Rico, 180 to 360 fathoms, 1 specimen, 39 mm. 

 USNM 102778, off Puerto Rico, Johnson-Smithsonian Expedition, 

 February 1933, depth 250 to 320 fathoms, 1 specimen, 25 mm. 

 USNM 185536, Pelican station 31, April 10, 1956, lat. 29°36' N., 

 long. SOW W., depth 180 to 210 fathoms, 1 specimen, 43.5 mm. 

 CNHM 64367, Oregon station 1955, September 17, 1957, lat. 16°48' 

 N., long. 82°33' W., depth 550 fathoms, 1 specimen, 59 mm. CNHM, 

 Combat station 304, lat. 31°50' N., long. 79°14' W., 180 fathoms, 5 

 specimens, 48 to 64 mm. CNHM, Combat station 301, lat. 32° 15' 

 N., long. 78°49' W., 215 fathoms, 1 specimen, 64 mm. 



Distinctive characters: Three species of Argyropelecus form 

 what may be called the affinis, gigas, and pacificus complex, charac- 

 terized by the supra-abdominal, preanal, anal and subcaudal photo- 

 phores almost forming a continuous series and the dorsal tips of the 

 photophores being nearly in a straight line. Lower preopercular 

 spine points downward and curves outward and forward; upper pre- 

 opercular spine short, pointing outward, and usually curving forward, 

 never extending posteriorly; two posterior abdominal spines, both 

 short and directed downward, forming an acute angle between them 

 of about 10° to 15°; space between anal group and subcaudal group 

 of photophores very narrow, about equal to width of last anal photo- 



