466 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



D. XI, 11; A. I, 10; P. 12 + 3; V. i, 5. 



Color, light brownish-yellow oil the bauk, paler beueath; the fins, except the pectoral 

 and ventral, pale. Tlie pectoral lias five dark bauds, of which the third extends entirely 

 across the fin. 



The type of the description is a single individual 137 uiilliineters long, taken by the 

 TT. S. steamer Blake, at station i.xiv, off Barbados, at an uncertaiu depth, somewhere between 

 100 and 200 fathoms. 



PRIONOTUS STEARNSII, Jorda^i and Swain. 



Prionotus Stcarnsii, .Tokdan aud SwAiN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1884 (vii), 541. 



A Prionotus allied to Prionotus evolans, having head 2| in length (3J including caudal) ; 

 depth, 4 (.3); D. viii-12; A. 12. Scales, (transverse series), 77; pores in lateral line about 

 "tS. Length, 3| inches. 



Body not very slender; narrowed but compressed above, the width of the nape between 

 the occipital s^Mnes being abont one-fifth the head. Head depres.sed and long, its upper 

 profile being a little concave before eye, thence slightly convex or almost straight to front 

 of dorsal. Snout 2J in head, not very broad, rather more than usually rounded anteriorly 

 and scarcely emarginate at tip. Edges of snout without spine and without distinct serra;, 

 the margin merely granular. Surfaces of bones of head comparatively smooth, but rough- 

 ened with small granules, which are arranged in radiating strire, much as in P. evolans, but 

 more regularly than in that species. 



Mouth rather wide, the maxillary reaching to opposite front of the eye, the mandible 

 about to center of eye; maxillary two in head. Bauds of palatine teeth narrow. 



Eye small, its diameter (in young specimen) 4g in head. A very small cirrus formed of 

 two or three thickish fihxments from a common base on ux>per part of eye; its length little 

 more than half the pupil. Interorbital area of moderate width, rather deeply concave, its 

 least width GJ in head. Orbital rim not at all elevated, its bones with entire or granulated 

 edges. No trace of si^ine or groove behind eye. Occipital spines very weak, the outer pair 

 inconspicuous, not reaching nearly to front of dorsal, the inner pair altogether wanting, no 

 trace of them being seen. Ko spines, ridges, or evident roughness on temporal region. 

 Preoi>ercle with a single small si)ine, without smaller one at its base. Lower opercular 

 spine small; upper opercular spine reduced to a blunt point. Humeral spine inconspicu- 

 ous, not extending beyond opercular spine. The head is thus much less completely armed 

 than in any other of our .species of Prionotus, the only sj)inous projections present being 

 the occipital, humeral, opercular and iireopercular spines, four pairs. These spines may 

 perhaps become more prominent with age. Membranaceous flap of opercle scaly. 



Gill rakers long and very slender, about thirteen developed, the length of the longest 

 about half eye. 



Scales rather large, those on the nape and breast little reduced in size; al)Out 10 

 between dorsal and occiput. 



Fins all low and small. First dorsal spine rather the highest, its length 2^ in head, 

 its anterior margin serrulate. Longest ray of soft dorsal, 2 in head. Caudal, IJ in head. 

 Longest anal ray 2 in head. Pectorals very short (perhaps longer in the adult), reaching 

 only to front of second dorsal, 1^ in head. Detached rays slender, the uppermost 1| in 

 head. Ventral s, IJ in head. 



Color, in spirits, brown, paler below; scales everywhere, with dark puuctulations, these 

 forming a darker shade on the lateral line near the middle of the body; the head plain 

 brown. Spinous dorsal dusky posteriorly. Soft dorsal with two dusky longitudinal shades. 

 Caudal blackish at tip. Anal with a black stripe toward the margin. Pectorals black, the 

 detached rays and ventral fins plain whitish. 



Tlie type of tliis .species (No. 3G913, U. S. N. M.), 3| inches long, in good condition, was 

 taken from the stomach of a Red Snapper, Lutjanus Blackfordii, at Pensacola. 



The Blale secured a specimen at station ecu, on the Alacran Shoals, Yucatan, at a 

 depth of 35 fathoms. 



