382 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 202 Vol. 2 



sub terminal, snout but slightly in front of mouth; nasal openings 

 small, anterior with a very short tube, posterior nasal opening difficult 

 to locate, a vertical line through front of eye passes about through it 

 on top of head; vertical line tlu-ough dorsal fin origin passes from 1 to 

 lYi pupil diameters behind eye, or a little closer to rear edge of eye 

 than to gill opening; eighth or ninth pectoral ray from dorsal edge of 

 eye longest; gill opening about % diameter of eye and not extending 

 below upper edge of base of pectoral fin; last rays of both dorsal and 

 anal fins membranously attached to caudal peduncle but not to 

 caudal fui; lateral Ime with a few pores near base of spiny dorsal fin, 

 ending about opposite tips of pectoral fin ; posterior margm of caudal 

 deeply concave, the outer rays, both dorsally and ventrally greatly 

 elongate and filamentous, those of the largest specimen 3K times longer 

 than head. 



Color in alcohol. — Background coloration plain brownish anteriorly 

 fadmg posteriorly so that posterior third is white; caudal fin white; 

 pectoral fin hyaline, with a dark brown spot as large as eye on rear 

 base of pectoral; dorsal fin pale distally, basally with a brown band 

 fading posteriorly so that rear quarter of dorsal fin is white or hyaline ; 

 pel vies a little dusky; tentacles on under side of head, if present, usually 

 bro\vnish; peritoneum black. 



Ecology. — This rare species was taken from coral heads separated 

 by sandy areas in water of depths from 10 to 28 feet, well below the 

 intertidal zone. 



Suborder Ophidina 



Family BROTULIDAE 



By Leonard P. Schultz 



All counts were made after the skin had been dissected from one 

 side of the fins and each ray with a separate base was counted as one 

 ray. 



The following key is intended to separate the three genera found in 

 the northern Marshall Islands and in Guam: 



la. Head with three pairs of barbels on snout and three pairs on chin; dorsal and 



anal fins continuous with caudal fin Brotula Cuvier 



16. No barbels on head; caudal fin separate. 



2a. Maxillary concealed by dermal fold along lower edge of cheek when mouth 

 is closed; depth of body, one head length in front of base of caudal fin, 



3 in length of head Brosmophyciops, new genus 



26. Posterior lower part of maxillary exposed when mouth is closed; depth of 

 body, one head length in front of base of caudal fin, about half in length 

 of head Dinematichthys Bleeker 



