440 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



SCIANECTES, Aleoek. (Figiiro 371.) 



Scianecles, Alcock, .Imirnal A.siatic Soiicty of neiigal, i.vni (II), 1889, 284; Ann. :iiii1 JI.ii;. Nat. Hist., 1890 

 (Nov.), :i98, 1890 (II), 210; Batliybial Fi.slics, Bay of Bengal, 27. 



Cleft of mouth narrow, the maxillary less than a third the length of the head, denti- 

 tion more developed on blind side. Dorsal lin eoinniencing before the eye, on the snout. 

 Body pyriform and delicate. Vomerine teeth. Eyes on the left side and close together. 

 All the rays of the vertical fins simple, elongated, weak, and filamentous. Scales minute, 

 membrancms, and very deeidous. Lateral line with a curve above the pectoral. Gill mem- 

 branes united at the throat. Gill rakers distant and short. 



Rejiresented by two species, S. lophoptera, Alcock, mouth of Devi River, 68 fathoms 

 {loc. cit.), and S. macropththahnus, Alcock, from Bay of Bengal, 40 miles south west of 

 Akyab, lu about 100 fathoms of water {loc. cit., Aim. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1890, ii, 21(j), 

 and from statiou, 96, 98-102 fathoms. 



TRICHOPSETTA, Gill. 

 Trichopsetta, Gii.i., Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns., 1888, 603. 



Psettiues with the body oblong, rhombo-oval, covered with ndherent ctenoid scales; 

 lateral line with an arch differentiated in front on eyed side, obscure but re(;tilinear on 

 blind side; profile incurved or rectilinear; mouth large; supramaxillary bones obliquely 

 truncated behind; teeth small, somewhat enlarged and hooked in front, uniserial; dorsal 

 and anal symmetrical behind, dorsal commencing on snout and deflected towards right 

 nostril; caudal subsessile and convex; pectorals very unequal, the left obtuse, the right 

 with the second and third rays extended and filiform; ventrals both free, very unequal; the 

 left fin on the abdominal ridge with a moderately broad base and 6 ra^s, the last of whicli 

 is attached by membrane to the ridge; the right fin with a narrower base (and in the males 

 with the inner 4 rays setiform, but in the female nearly similar to the left fin); inter- 

 branchial membrane imperforate; gill rakers slender and unarmed. 



TRICHOPSETTA VENTRALIS, (Goode and Bkan), Giix. (Figure 372.) 



Ctthnrirlithyn rrntralis, GooDE aud Bean, Proc. IT. S. Nat. Miis., viii, 1885, 592. 

 Trichiipnella renlrolis, Gill, loc. cit. 



Extreme length of specimen described, 117 millimeters. No. 37343, Gulf of Mexico, 

 Albatross station 2386, 60 fathoms. 



The height of the body (50 millimeters) is about 2;^ times in its total length (without 

 caudal), and is equal to about 4 J times the height of the tail (11) and about 9 times its 

 thickness (5i). 



The scales are ovate, strongly ctenoid, the largest about 3 millimeters in diameter; the 

 diameter less than half that of the eye. The scales are firmly fixed ; there are G6 scales in 

 the lateral line (on the colored side), 19-21 of these in the curved portion, which is bold and 

 sharply defined; and 19 above and 23 below the lateral line at broadest part of body. 



The length of the head (29 millimeters) is one-fourth that of the body, and '?>r^ times the 

 diameter of the eye (8); the interorbital space is very narrow, sealeless, its width e(pial to 

 one eighth diameter of eye. Tlie length of mandible (10 millimeters) i-s twice the diameter 

 of the eye; the length of maxillary (13 millimeters) less than half that of head. 



The dorsal flu begins upon the snout, u])on the blind side, and in advance of the eyes; 

 its greatest height about eijual to length of nia.nlible. It is compo.sed of 93 simple rays. 

 The anal begins itnder the axil of the pectoral, its longest ray (equal to longest in d(n-sal) 

 e(|uals ov slightly exceeds half the distance of its anterior ray from the snout. It is com- 

 posed of 73 simple rays. 



The caudal is subsessile, composed of 17 rays, its length (24 millimeters) a little less 

 than half the height of body, and equal to length of liead witliout snout. 



The pectorals are inserted (•ousiderably below the (uigin of tlie lateral line, close to the 



