482 HALOSAimiD^. 



Fam. 25. HALOSAURIDyE. 



Body covered with cycloid scales ; head scaly ; 

 barbels none. Margin of the upper jaw formed by 

 the intermaxillaries mesially, and by the maxillaries 

 laterally. Opercular apparatus incomplete. Adipose 

 fin none. The short dorsal belongs to the abdominal 

 part of the vertebral column; anal very long. 

 Stomach with a blind sac ; intestine short ; pyloric 

 appendages in moderate number. Pseudobranchise 

 none ; air-bladder large, simple ; gill-openings wide. 

 Ovaries closed. 



Atlantic, deep-sea fishes. 



1. HALOSAURUS. 



Halosaurus, Johnsmi, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1863, p. 406. 



Body elongate, compressed, terminating in an exceedingly long, 

 tapering tail ; abdomen rounded. Snout much projecting beyond 

 the mouth, which is inferior, of moderate width. Facial bones mth 

 large maciferous cavities. Prseoperculum produced behind into a 

 long flat process, replacing the sub- and interoperculum. Eye 

 large. Teeth in villiform bands in the jaws, vomer, and palatine 

 bones, and on the tongue. Dorsal fin short, opposite to the space 

 between ventrals and vent. Anal fin exceedingly long, occupying 

 the entire length of the tail to its point ; no caudal fin. Pectoral 

 inserted high up the s-de, without basal appendage. Lateral line 

 running near to the lower profile. GiU-membranes entirely sepa- 

 rate, with numerous branchiostegals. 



Atlantic. 



1. Halosaurus owenii. 



Johnson, I. c. pi. 36. fig. 2. 

 B. 14. D. 11. A. 191. P. 11. V. 10. L. lat. 170. 

 L. transv. 14/6. 

 The height of the body equals the length of the head, without 

 snout ; the length of the head is equal to its distance from the 

 ventrals, and two-fifths of that from the vent. There is only one 

 (1^) series of scales between the lateral line and ventral fin. Colo- 

 ration uniform. 



Madeira. 

 a. Fine specimen, type of the species. Presented by J. Y. Johnson, 

 Esq. 



