346 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



Head witli iinbiicatod scales extending to foreliead; o]iercnla and cheeks moderately 

 coinin-essed, oblong ovate in profile, with the snout high, ])i'()jecting forward and obtnsely 

 rounded, armed above with a short, nearly concealed spine, directed forward and somewhat 

 downward. Cheeks somewhat inflated. Eyes larg<^, snbcircnlar, with coni])nratively small 

 pupils. Nostrils double; the anterior aperture a short tube directed forward and next to 

 the groove separating the preorbital from the no.stril region; the posteri<u' a limgitndinal 

 groove. Opereula unarmed. 



Mouth broader, with the cleft little oblifpie and moderate; the supermaxillary bones are 

 slender, terminate under the hinder part of the eye, and are almost wholly retractile under 

 the suborbitals. 



Teeth of the jaws villiform, immersed in a raucous membrane, separated by an interval 

 from the longer ones in the outer row, which are pointed aiul movable. 



Vomer not prominent, armed, as well as the palatine bones, with teeth. 



Branchial aperture ample, arched above by the membrane, which is attached in front 

 of the axil of the pectoral tin, 



Brauchiostegal rays seven, the internal two small. 



Dorsal fin commencing less than a head's distance froTn the nape, rather low and with 

 its rays simply articulated, blending behind, like the anal, with the caudal fin. whose rays 

 are longer than those of the dorsal and anal, aiul whose margin is i)roduced. 



Pectoral fins small or moderate, obliquely rounded behind. 



Ventral fins bilid and articulated, and much abbreviated. 



This genus is exceedingly distinct from Opiiuliiim, having very few characters in com- 

 mon, except such as would be found in the genera of the same subfamily. Its form at oncie 

 distinguishes it, its comparatively low and moderately compressed body and snniller head 

 contrasting strongly with the much compressed body and head of tlie true Ophi(lii(l<i: The 

 imbricated scales and peculiar dentition observed on closer examination corroborate the 

 generic distinction indicated by difference of form.' 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF LEPTOPHIDIUM. 



A. Body elongate. 



1. Suoiit very short, sharp, armeil with .a spine. 



a. Color brown, with white 8])ots li. CER^^NCM 



2. Snont shorter than eye. 



a. Color light rufons, the vertical liiis margined with black L. profundorum 



li. liody stoutish, anteriorly tapering. 

 I. Snont blunt, spineless. 



a. Color yellowish, marbled with brown L. marmokatum 



LEPTOPHimUM CERVINIJM, (i<M.i>F, and I'.kax. (Figure JOG.; 



LeptoplMlnm ccrviivim, Goode and Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., viii, 1885, 422. 



Body elongate, slender, its greatest height (25 millimeters in si)ecimen examined) lOi 

 in its total length. 



llead slender, somewhat compressed, its length (40 millimeters) Oi in total length. 

 Jnterorbital area broad, convex, its width equal to the length of the snout and u| in head's 

 length. .Snout sharp, conical, armed with a short but sharp spine, and somewhat over- 

 hanging the, mouth. Eye circular, its diameter (10 millimeters) 4 in head's length, and 

 much exceeding the length of the snout. Maxilla extending nearly to the vertical through 

 the posterior niargin of the orbit, its length {Iti millimeters) three-eighths of head's length. 

 Mandible extending behind the same vertical, its length (18 millimeters) equal to that of 

 head without its postorbital portion. Jaws, vomer, and palatines with narrow bands of vil- 

 liform teeth, some of which are noticeably enlarged {not movable). Pseudobranchiaj present. 



' It is probable that the OphidiiiM hrei-iharbv, briefly indiiated liy Cnvier and Kaup, belongs to this 

 genus; by Cuvier it was simply alluded to in a foot-note of tlie Rigne Animal, wliile by Kaup a short 

 diagnosis was given in the "Catalogue of the Apodal Fish." As thr notice, of the species by Kaup, like 

 most of the diagnoses by tliat gentleman, is only suflicient to distinguish it from species known to him, no 

 clear idea cau be obtained regarding its affinities. Gill. 



