150 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.84 



Genus GRAMMICOLEPIS Poey 



Orammicolepis Poet, 1873, p. 403 (type by monotypy, G. brochiusculus Poey). 

 Vesposus JoEDAN, 1921, p. 649 (type by original designation, V. egregius Jordan). 



The generic characters are given in the table above. Only one 

 species is known, from deep water about the West Indies, in the Carib- 

 bean, and off Hawaii. 



GRAMMICOLEPIS BRACHIUSCULUS Poey 



Orammicolepis brachiusculus Poey, 1S73, p. 403, pi. 12 (near Habana, Cuba). — 

 Shufeldt, 1888, p. 271, figs. 1-14 (on Poey's type specimen). — Goode and 

 Bean, 1895, p. 218, pi. 61, fig. 221 (copy of Shufeldt's description and 

 figure). — Jordan" and Eveemann, 1896, vol. 1, p. 974 (compiled).— Fowleb, 

 1928, p. 96 (on Jordan's type of Vesposus egregius). 



Vesposus egregius Joedan, 1921, p. 650, fig. 5 (deep water off Hawaii). — Jordan 

 and Jordan, 1922, p. 24, fig. 1 (on Jordan's type specimen), 



Oi'ammicolepis sqiiamilineatus (in part) Mowbray, in Breder, 1927, p. 30, fig. 

 14 (holotype and two paratypes ; deep water north of Glover Reef, British 

 Honduras). 



U.S.N.M. no. 84098, a dried and distorted specimen approximately 

 230 mm in standard length (to end of hypural fan) ; killed by lava 

 flowing from Mauna Loa into the sea off Alika, Island of Hawaii, in 

 November 1919, and collected by Tom Reinhardt. Holotype of 

 Vesposus egregius Jordan. 



U.S.N.M. no 102129 (field no. Ill), a specimen 182 mm in standard 

 length; Johnson-Smithsonian deep-sea expedition station 23, off 

 Punta Cerro Gordo, north coast of Puerto Rico, latitude 18°32'15" 

 N., longitude 66°17'45" W., to latitude 18°32'00" N., longitude 66°- 

 21'15" W.; February 4, 1933; otter trawl; 260 to 360 fathoms; S. Y. 

 Caroline. 



B. O. C. no. 517, a specimen 82 mm in standard length ; deep water 

 north of Glover Reef, off the coast of British Honduras ; April 1925 ; 

 S. Y. Pawnee. Holotype of Granimicolepis squxiniilineatus Mowbray. 



B. O. C no. 524, a specimen 85 mm in standard length; taken in 

 366 fathoms north of Glover Reef, British Honduras; April 20, 1925; 

 S. Y. Paionee. Paratype of Gtammiicole'pis squamilineatu.<i Mowbray. 



B. O. C. no. 518a, a specimen 73 mm in standard length; taken in 

 484 fathoms north of Glover Reef, British Honduras ; April 20, 1925 ; 

 S. Y. Pawnee. Paratype of Graminicolepis squmnilirieatus Mowbray. 



Dorsal fin with a tiny, scarcely evident first spine ; a main serrated 

 spine; a thinner serrated spine; 3 or 4 soft, unarticulated spines; and 

 28 to 35 articulated rays. Anal with 2 short, serrated spines, the first 

 longer; and 28 to 36 articulated rays. Pectorals 14 to 16. Color 

 plain silvery, with indications of irregular dark blotches on the back. 



Several important and extremely interesting changes in external 

 anatomical features appear to take place in this species during growth. 



