410 BULLETIN 189, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



fringes on upper lip, which has mere ridges; the slightly concave 

 margin of the opercle; and the presence of pairs of cross lines on the 

 back, and the virtual absence of color markings on the head. 



M. opercularis has long been known from Baja California, and it was 

 once recorded from Albemarle Island of the Galdpagos group by 

 Snodgrass and Heller (1905, p. 417). However, the authors did not 

 state the number of fin rays or describe other apparently diagnostic 

 characters. The color as described does not agree either with the 

 example from Peru or with the specimens from Baja California. As 

 the account is inadequate and the specimens are not available for 

 examination, their identity remains uncertain. 



The name macrognathus alludes to the long lower jaw. 



Range. — Known only from Lobos de Tierra, Peru, where the type, 

 and two small specimens reported without description by Regan 

 (see reference above), were taken. 



Family BROTULIDAE: Brotulid Eels 



Body elongate, compressed, tapering regularly posteriorly; vent 

 near middle of body; gill openings large, the membranes separate and 

 free from the isthmus; teeth more or less pointed, in bands in the jaws, 

 and usually on vomer and palatines; scales, if present, small, cycloid, 

 often more or less embedded; dorsal beginning near nape; caudal 

 continuous with dorsal and anal ; ventral reduced to one or two rays, 

 inserted somewhat in advance of pectoral. 



Most of the members of this family live in the deep sea, though a 

 few are found along the shores. A single genus is known from Peru. 



Genus BROTULA Cuvier, 1829 



Body quite elongate; eye moderately large; mouth rather large; 

 small, pointed teeth in bands on jaws, vomer, and palatines; snout 

 and mandible each with six barbels; branchiostegals eight; dorsal 

 fin beginning somewhat behind base of pectoral; caudal fully con- 

 tinuous with the dorsal and anal; ventral reduced to a single, some- 

 times bifid distally, filament. 



A single species is known from Peru. 



BROTULA CLARKAE Hubbs 



CONGKIO 



Figure 81 



Brotula maculata Evermann and Radcliffe, 1917, p. 151, pi. 13, fig. 3, Paita, 



Peru (original description). 

 Brotula clarkae Hubbs, 1944, p. 167 {B. maculata Evermann and RadcIifiFe found 



to be a homonym of B. maculata Day, 1868; species renamed B. clarkae, 



with type from Baja California). 



Head 4.6 in total length; depth 6.25; D. 104; A. 83; P. 25; scales 

 about 220 (too small and irregularly placed for accurate enumeration). 



