DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTEIBUTION. 243 



POLYMIXIA, Lowe. 



Polymixio, LoWF, Trans. Cambridge Phil. Soc, 1838, vi, 198.— GCxther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Miis.,i, IG. 

 ^^mohnniia, VALEXt'lF.NNE.s, in Webli and Borthelot, Ichth. lies Canar. Poiss., 40. 

 Diitciinis, Poky, Mem. Hist. Nat., Cuba, ii, 161, 1860. 



Siiout short, with the cleft of the mouth nearly horizontal. Eye large. Two barbels 

 at the throat. Opercles without armature. Scales of moderate size. One doisal. Anal 

 with 3 or 4 spines. Caudal forked. Ventrals with (i or 7 short rays. {(iUnthcr.) 



The tishes of this genus have, according to Giinther, about the same bathymetrical 

 and horizontal distribution as Bcry.v. 



POLYMIXIA NOBILIS, Lowe. (Figure 241.) 



Pohjmixia nohilis, Lowe, Cambr. Phil. Trans., 1838, vi, 198. (Specimens from Madeira). — Gunther, Cat. 

 Fish. Brit. Mus., i, 17; Challenger Kei)ort, xxii, 1887, 34, pi. i, fig. 31.— Alccm'k, Ann. and Mag. Nat. 

 Hist., 1889 (Nov.), 381. 



Nemoimma Webhii, Valencienne.s, in Webb & Berthelot, lehthyol. lies Canaries, 41, pi. viii (specimens 

 from the Canaries). 



Polyniixia Lowei, GCnthek, op. cil.,i, 17. — Poey, Kepert. Fis. Nat. Cnba, ii, 159. 



Diiiemiin veniistiis, Poey, Mem. Hist. Nat. Cuba, ii, 1860, 161, 3.">2, pi. xiv, tig. 1 {liarbitdu in Cuba). — Zoolog- 

 ical Record, 1868, 147. 



Polymixia jiijwnica, Gunther, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1877, xx, 436 (specim<'ns rroii; Inosima, Japan). — 

 Steindacuner, Dentschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien, 1883, XLVii, 261, tab. iv, tig. 2. 



A Polymixia, with compressed, elevated body, whose height is contained 3;^ times in 

 its total length, and is nearly equal to the length of head. Head with blunt snout and 

 slightly projecting upper jaw. Mouth wide, the maxillary ending beyond vertical from 

 posterior margin of orbit, and terminating posteriorly in a broad i)late. Teeth in broad, 

 velvet like bands, present on jaws, palatines, i»terygoids, vomerines, tongue, and branchial 

 arches. Eye i)laced high, but below upper profile of head ; its diameter contained about 

 3 times in the head's length. Opercles si)ineless. Scales oblique, irregular, completely 

 covering body and head; 4S-54 in lateral line. 



Eadial formula: D. V, 28-;J8; A. Iii-iv, 1(5-18; V. i, C-7. 



Color a soft violet, browuisli, oi>alescent on the back and fins. Upper margin of orbit, 

 and two bands above the .snout, golden green; maxillary roseate, inner margin of caudal 

 lobes whiti.sh. Iris white, opalescent. 



This si)ecies has been exhaustively studied by Dr. Giinther, who has access to speci- 

 mens from various parts of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic, namely, near Madeira, 

 the Canary Islands, St. Helena, and Cuba. The Cluilhiu/er expedition brought home speci- 

 mens from the Sea of Japan, where they were captured ott' Inosima at a- dei)th of ol.") fath- 

 oms. The Iiivcstifintor took it in the Andaman seas, in 271 fathoms. The si)ecies has been 

 found by Poey at Cuba. The British Museum in 188(> recei\ed a specimen from Mauritius, 

 the first of its kind which the fishermen remembered to liave seen. The wide ge()grai)hical 

 range of tliis form is remarkable, although it is possible that it does not desceml to very 

 great depths or extend beyond the tropical or subtropical zones. From comiiarison of all 

 the materials in his possession. Dr. Giinther has become convinced that the differences 

 on which he formerly based his conclusion that there were three .species, were really not 

 sufficiently marked to justify his conclusions. 



Family POM ACENTRID^E. 



PomacentrhU; Bonaparte, Catalogo Metodico, Pesci Europei, 1846, 81.— Guntilek, Cat. Fish., Brit. Mus., 



IV, 1862, 2.— Giix, Arr. Fam. Fishes, 1872, 7, No. 64. 

 Pomacenlroidci, Bleeker, Teutamen, 18."i9, XViil. 



Pharyugognaths with ctenoid scales, pseudobranchiie and gills 3.i Teeth feeble; pal- 

 ate edentulous. Lateral line incomplete or interrupted. Dor.sal in two nearly equal 

 portions, the first spinous. Anal similar to soft portion of dorsal. \'entrals thoracic, I, 5. 

 Branchiostegals, v-Vii. Pseudobrancliiie jiresent. Air bladder present. 



The I'omacentrids live in warm waters, especially among coral reefs and usually ueai 



