DISCUSSION OF SPECIKS AND THEIK DISTUIUUTIOX. 



349 



The typical species, Ateleojuis juponicu.^<, Sciilegcl, is known iioiii two spceiiiicns. ( )iie !) 

 inches long, taken at Oomiua, to Japan, and another sent to the British Jluseum Ity the 



J 



,aB*^' 



ATELKOl'I'S .lAI'OMCrS. 



Tokio Jlusciini. The Japanese call this fish iSjats/uri, and consider it extremely rare. 

 They believe it to be venomous, and to have eleetri(t powers. ^1 iniliriix, Alcock, Ann. I'fc 

 Mag. Nat. Hist., 1891, 123, was obtained by the lnvisti(jati>r in the Indian 0<can, in l.S,S to 

 220 fathoms. 



Family LOPHOTID^^. 



Lophoteoidei, Bleeker, Syst. Nat. Pise. Tentainon, 1?.W, xxvi. 



Lophotida-, Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., in, 1861, 31i; CballouKer Report, xxn, 7(>. 



Body elongate, compressed, blade-like, without scales, and with vent near the tip of 

 the tail. Head elevated in a high triangular crest upon wliich is a very long and strong 

 spine, followed by a series of flexible rays, sui)i)orting the dorsal tin, wliich extends the 

 entire length of the back to the base of the caudal. Anal very short and very far back. 

 Ventrals thoracic. Caudal minute. Snout short. Feeble teeth, in jaws,ou vomer, and pala- 

 tines. Gill openings wide. r)rancliiostegaIs (>. rscudobraMcliia- present. 



Giinther is of the opinion that the "Lojihotns" arc deep-sea tishes like tlie Ribbon 

 fishes, but that they do not descend to the greatest depths, their bony and soft jiarts being 

 firm and coherent. 



LOPHOTES, Giorna. 



Lopholea, GlORXA, Mem. .Vccad. Torino, ix, 1803. 17.— Ccvier aud Valenciexnes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., x, 105. — 

 GuNTiiEK, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., iii, 312. 



Lophotids with the head elevated in a high crest, surmounted with a long spine, which 

 is followed by a very elongate dorsal fin. Vent near the extremity of tlie tail, with a small 

 anal fin behind it; iiectorals moderate; ventrals thoracic, very small, with -1 or o rays; 

 caudal very small. Mouth not jirotractile, snbvertical; with teeth pointed and feeble in 

 the Jaws, on vomer and palatines. Eye very large. Tlie abdominal cavity extends nearly 

 the w'hole length of the body. Air bladder present, (rills i. I'seudobranchiie present. 



LOPHOTES CEPEDI.VNIS, (iioR.NA. (Figuro 389.) 



Lophoies Cepedhinus, Giorxa, Mem. Poiss. Esp. Xav., etc. (Read Sept. 20, 1803).— Mem. Accacl. Imp. Sci. 

 Torino, xvi (1809), 19, pi. ll, tig. 1.— Civier ami Vale.nciex.nes, Hist. Nat. Pois.-i, x, 40."), pi. ccci.— 

 Bonaparte, Catalogo Metodieo.Tlfi. — Gitnthek, Cat. Fi.sh. Brit. Mus.. in, 312; Challenger Report, xxii, 

 76. — Caxestrini, Fauna Italica, Pesci. 195. — GlGl.ioi.i, Eleuco, 32. — Moreau, Hist., Nat. Poiss., France, 

 II, 250. 



La Lophotc Lacepide, Cuvier, Ann. Jli'.soe, xx, 1S13. 31t3, j>l. X vii : liigne Animal,c(l. 1, 1817. ii. 2433. 



Lophotus Lacepcde, EiSSO, Hist. Nat. Eni'ope Mrriiliouale, 1829, 293. 



A Lophoies with the height of the body contained 7 times in its total length: its tliick- 

 ness 21 times. The skin, Avhich is naked, is roughened by very minute furrows. The 

 vent is very far back, near the extremity of the body. The head is very singular in its form, 

 being elevated in front in a triangular crest, exceedingly sharp, and surmounted by a long, 

 compressed .spine, which corresponds to the first ray of the dorsal. Snout short; mouth 

 small, not protractile, subvertical. Teeth cardiform ui»on the .jaws, the vomer and pala- 

 tines being also deutigerons. Eyes very large, their diameter about one-third of the length 



