12 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. ii8 



Study material. — Holotype of Microbrotula nigra, USNM 179898, 

 formerly UH 1684, female. 



Counts and measurements. — (Measurements given in mm., followed 

 by percent of standard length in parentheses) D 98 ; A 71 ; pectoral 26 ; 

 vertebrae 48; caudal 8; vertical scale rows about 72; SL 61.4; body 

 depth at D origin 17 (27.7) ; predorsal 16.8 (27.4) ; preanal 30.0 (48.9) ; 

 HL 15.9 (25.9); snout 3.2 (5.2); orbit 3.0 (4.8); upper jaw 9.0 (14.7); 

 greatest maxillary width 3.6 (5.9); greatest head width 9.5 (15.5). 



Description. — Squamation: Patch of scales present on nape. 

 Second patch covers opercle and dorsal half of area in front of it, 

 extending forward to within eye diameter of eye. Small, separate 

 patch consisting of few scales present behind rear margin of maxillary. 



Lateralis system: Lateral canal lacking pores. Supraorbital canal 

 with 2 pores: 1 below, and in front of, anterior nostril tube; the other, 

 very small, above tube. Infraorbital canal with 6 pores: 3 beneath 

 nostrils over upper lip; 1 at level of posterior part of eye; 2 above 

 posterior expanded portion of maxillary. Preoperculomandibular 

 canal with 8 pores: 2 at tip of dentary, 1 opening anteriorly, the other 

 posteriorly; 1 beneath lower lip near level of posterior nostril; 1 close 

 to midlength of jaw; 1 slightly ahead of level of posterior margin of 

 maxillary ; and 3 shaped like elongate slits along posteroventral and 

 posterior margin of preopercle. 



Small, dark papillae scattered on muzzle and interorbital region. 

 Lateral line marked by papillae. One series of about 20 originating 

 above opercle and, after dip near origin, extending posteriorly to level 

 of vent. Second line of about 35 papillae originating in midline at 

 level of origin of anal fin and extending posteriorly in midline of body 

 to tail, although posterior papillae very small. 



Dentition: Premaxillaries and dentaries bearing bands of uniformly 

 small, granular teeth. Vomer with 2 patches of similar teeth. Al- 

 though Gosline (1953) noted the presence of palatine teeth, I find no 

 trace of them. 



Sex: Specimen female with small embryos in ovaries. 



Head spines: Small, sharp-pointed spine piercing skin at upper 

 angle of opercle. Posteroventral angles of preopercle bearing several 

 weakly spinous points. Maxillary spine prominently developed. 



Vertebrae and ribs: Neural spines 5-14 short and broad, but be- 

 coming progressively more elongate and narrower, their tips truncate; 

 neural spines on subsequent centra more needle-like. Centra 7-11 

 with ribs at ends of parapophyses, subsequent centra lacking pleural 

 ribs. Centra 4-8 with epipleurals attached to pleural ribs ; on centra 

 9-12 epipleurals appearing to be associated with parapophyses. 



Color: Body brown, fins darker. 



Distribution. — Known only from the type locality at about 30 feet. 



