464 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



lower luitorior lays thickened, entirely free from each other and from the fin; ventrals I, 

 5, wide a]>art, witli a flat space between tliem, the inner rays longest. Pyloric C(eca in 

 moderate number; air-bladder generally with lateral muscles and divided into two lateral 

 parts; vertebra^ 10 or 11 + 15. [Jordan and GUhcrt.) 



PRIONOTUS MILITARIS, Goodk. and Bean, n. s. (Figures 380, 384.) 



Tlie type of the description is a s|iefiiiieii measuring 123 millimeters with the caudal. 

 The length without the caudal, whicli is the standard of eomi)arison, is 95 millimeters. 

 The body is short and stout, its greatest height (30 millimeters) nearly one-third of the 

 .standard length; its greatest width at the base of tlie pectorals (23 millimeters) is nearly 

 one-fourth of the standard length. Tlie least height of the tail (9 millimeters) is equal to 

 the long diameter of the eye. The head is short, the snout abruptly descending and with 

 two rather long diverging spinous jirocesses at its tip. The orbits are much elevated, the 

 spines very large, and the jaws are small. The greatest length of tlie head, measured 

 horizontally (33 millimeters), is about one-third of the standard length. The distance 

 measured obliquely from the tip of the rostral spine to the edge of the opercular flap (39 

 millimeters) is two-flfths of the standard length. Xearly all the spines of the head and 

 the exposed edges of the preorbital, mandible, and opercles are minutely serrate. The 

 diverging spines upon the snout are themselves armed along the margin by numerous 

 si)iuules. The length of the eye (9 millimeters) equals the width of the intcrorbital area. 

 The snout (11 millimeters) is more than one-third the length of the head. A strong .spine 

 on the preopercle, with a secondary spine at its base. The spine on the preopercle is as 

 long as the snout. A stout spine on the operculum, another in the humeral region, another 

 on the nape extending backward to the base of the fourth dorsal spine. Teeth in the jaws 

 and on the vomer and palate very small, in villiform bands. The length of the maxilla 

 (10 millimeters) is a little greater than that of the eye. The length of the mandible (12 

 millimeters) is a little less than that of the snout — it reaches about to the vertical from 

 the front of the eye. There is a furrow across the nape immediately behind the eyes. 

 Nine developed gill rakers on the anterior arch, besides several rudiments; all of the gill 

 rakers very short. Pseudobranchia; present. Branchiostegals 7. The distance of the 

 dorsal from the tip of the snout (39 millimeters) is two-fifths of the standard length. 

 The first two spines are very much i^roduced ; the length of the first (85 millimeters) is 

 almost equal to the standard length; the length of the second (87 millimeters) is slightly 

 greater than that of the first. The short sjiine (23 millimeters) is about twice as long as 

 the mandible. When the dorsal spines are fully extended they reach nearly to the tip of the 

 caudal. The anterior margins of the first three spines are minutely serrated, the serrations 

 being in several rows. The longest ray of the soft dorsal (17 millimeters) is about one-half 

 as long as the head. The length of the middle caudal rays (25 millimeters) equals the 

 length of the anal base. Tlie caudal is slightly emarginate. The length of the pectoral 

 (51 millimeters) is a little more tlian one-half of the standard length. The longest sepa- 

 rate ray of the pectoral is about l.J times as long as the shortest; its length equal to that 

 of the middle caudal rays. The length of the ventral spine (11 millimeters) is one half 

 the length of the longest ventral ray (28 millimeters). The ventral when extended 

 reaches to the third ray of the anal. The longest anal ray (16 millimeters) is about one- 

 half as long as the head. The scales are very rough; they are in about 7 rows between the 

 oiigiu of the second dorsal and the lateral line, and 19 rows below the lateral line. The 

 lateral line contains about 40 tubes, and the number of rows of scales counted obliquely is 

 about 55. 



D. X, 11; A. 1, 9; P. 12+3; V. I, .5. 



Color in life, rosy; head and ])ectoral, speckled with dark brown; 6 or 7 small dark 

 blotches on the upper edge of the pectoral. Some specimens have the inner surface of the 

 pectf)ral dark on its lower half. In one specimen the dark blotches on the pectoral are 

 groujied into four half bands, of which the middle two are very small. 



This species is represented by G individuals from station 2362 of the steamer Albatross; 



