NO. 1924. NEW PHILIPFINE ANACANT.HINE FISHES— RADCLIFFE. 125 

 Genus MAT^^OCEPHALUS Berg. 



This genus possesses characters intermediate between Macrourus 

 and Codorhynchus. The general form of the head is that of Codor- 

 hynchus, but the spinous occipital ridges characteristic of the species 

 of that genus are lacking and the second dorsal spine is serrate. The 

 tip of the snout is provided with a spinigerous tubercle which is nor- 

 mally bifid, and there is a distinct angulation on the side of the snout 

 with a submarginal groove anterior to it, which renders tliis portion 

 more or less distensible. An approach to this characteristic form of 

 the snout is found in such species of Macrourus as camurus, ortho- 

 grammus, and parvipes, and other species, as hyostomus, possess a 

 distinct submarginal groove. The intergradations are such as to sug- 

 gest the desirablihty of considering Matseocephalus and Ccdorhynchus 

 as subgenera under Macrourus. 



MAT.EOCEPHALUS NIGRESCENS Smith and RadcHffe, new species. 

 Plate 28, fig. 2. 



First dorsal ii,8; ventrals 8; pectorals 19. 



Head 5.20 in total length, depressed, rugose, dorsal contour nearly 

 straight, oblique, no well developed occipital ridges as in species of 

 CodorJiynchus; suborbital ridge saUent, ending at a short distance 

 behind vertical from posterior margin of eye; body slender, com- 

 pressed, greatest depth 8.44 in total length; vent immediately in front 

 of anal; tail long, slender, compressed; eye irregularly subelliptical, 

 horizontal diameter 3.47, vertical diameter 4 in head; interorbital 

 4.65, flat, a low suborbital ridge present; snout 2.75, broad, depressed, 

 ending in a bifid tubercle; a distinct ridge extending downward in 

 front of nostrils to suborbital margin, its projecting tip forming a 

 distinct angle in lateral contour of snout, in front of this the contour 

 lines converging much more rapidly and the marginal portion is sepa- 

 rated from the rest of the snout by a scaleless groove, this portion of 

 snout somewhat membranous, tliickened along the margin and cov- 

 ered with spiny scales; mouth small, normal in position, its distance 

 from tip of snout 3.06 in head; mandibular barbel slender, hair-hke, 

 about equal to diameter of pupil in length; teeth long, slender, cardi- 

 f orm ; scales small, 7 or 8 in each series from origin of dorsal and from 

 Jast dorsal ray to and including lateral Hne; spinules slender, recum- 

 bent, arranged in 6 to 10 parallel or nearly parallel rows, those on 

 scales of head more nearly erect, giving the head a very rough appear- 

 ance, especially along the lateral margins; the scales of preopercle 

 encroach on under side of head as do those of anterior part of snout, 

 remainder of under side of head naked. 



First dorsal spine small, second spine 1.50 in head, strong, slightly 

 curved, armed with strong, widely set, sharp-pointed spinules; inter- 



