290 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC liA^IN. 



HYPSICOMETES, Goode. 



Hypnicometcs, GooDi:, Proc. XL S. Nat. Mus., in, IS.SO, 347.— Johuan auil Gilbeut, Bull, xvi, U. S. Nat. Mus. 

 808. 



Body olougate, siibcylimlrical, tapering posteriorly. Head very large, much depressed, 

 with .snout elongate, spatulate; cleft of mouth very wide, horizontal, with the lower Jaw 

 nuich the longer; the posterior margin of the maxillary wide, free, and with a long cuta- 

 neous flap. Eyes very large, close together, subvertical. Scales large, cycloid, deciduous ; 

 lateral line conspicuous and continuous, with scales smaller than those of the body adjoining, 

 not granular, its line descending abruptly in a catenary curve in the region over the pectorals. 

 Teeth acicular; in bands on the jaws, vomer, and palatines, the largest being upon the pala- 

 tines, the vomer, and ui)on two iiads on either side of the symphysis of the maxillary. A 

 sharp, short, strong scapular spine. Opercle with three feeble, sharp spines, each at the 

 end of a long feeble ridge; along, skinny opercular flap extending far beyond the bony 

 portion, and covered with scales. Brauchiostegals, 0. G-ill membranes free from the isth- 

 mus, except far in front, where they are united to it; the left-hand flap overlapi)ing the 

 right at the point of junction. Psendobranchi* present. Gill-raker.s short. 



This genus resembles Ghiviiichthys, in many particulars, in its general structure, though 

 distinguished by the presence of scales and the different position of the lateral line, which 

 descends in a catenary curve from under the tip of the opercular flap to the middle region 

 of the body, about halfway from the pectorals to the caudal; by the greater depression of 

 the head, the sharper snout, the smaller mouth, and the location of the eyes, which are 

 subvertical instead of lateral, and are separated by a very narrow interorbital space; and also 

 by the presence of teeth upon the vomer and palatines. It resembles Bathi/draco in general 

 appearance, but is (ilearly distinguished from it by the presence of two dorsal tins, instead 

 of a single one, by the armed opercles, by tiie presence of scales upon the snout, by the 

 presence of teeth uj)ou the vomer an d palatines, and by having C instead of 10 brauchios- 

 tegals. 



HYPSICOMETES GOBIOIDES, Goode. (Figure 263.) 

 Hypsicomctcs (johioidvn, Goode, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Ill, 1880, 347. — Jokdan and Gilbert, loc. cif. 



The greatest height of the body is about one third of the length of the head, which 

 (measuring from the tip of the snout to the tip of the opercular flap) is contained a little less 

 than two and one-half times in the total length of the body (without caudal). Mouth very 

 wide, horizontal; the maxillary, which is expanded spoon-like posteriorly, reaching consid- 

 erably beyond the vertical from the anterior margin of the orbit. The diameter of the orbit 

 is contained l.J times in the length of the snout and 4i times in the length of the head (flap 

 included), its location being considerably nearer to the tip of the snout than to the end of 

 the flap, and equidistant between the tip of the snout and the tip of the u^jpermost spine of 

 the opercidnm. 



The entire upper surface of the head is covered with scales, except upon the bony por- 

 tion of the snout, and so are also the cheeks and opercula. The first dorsal fin is placed far 

 forward, not far behind the vertical from the axil of the pectoral; the inter.space between 

 the termination of the first dorsal and the beginning of the second is equal to the diameter 

 of the orbit. This fin is composed of six spines, the first and second of which are the long- 

 est, e(pial to the distance from the anterior margin of the orbit to the tip of the lower jaw, 

 and is triangular in form. The origin of the second dorsal is almost in the vertical from 

 that of the anal, and terminates a little in advance of the latter. The second dorsal fin is 

 highest in front and low behind. The length of the caudal peduncle is a little less than the 

 length of the snout. Caudal rounded. Pectoral very broad at base, rounded, extending 

 b(\V()n(l the vent and nearly to the vertical from the origin of the anal ; lower rays branched. 

 Ventrals far apart, horizontal, Trii/la-Uki!, ci)iupu.sed of one flexible spine and five branched 

 rays, their insertion far forward and far in advance of the base of the pectorals. 



Radial formuhi: D. vi, 15-17; A. IG-IS; V. i, 5; P. 2G; L. hit. 05, 



