494 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



This sijecies has never been Cully described, the only existing example being an imper- 

 fect tine, 23 inches long, obtained ott' the coast of Greenland about 1837. 



CORYNOLOPHUS, Gill. 



CoryiiolophuK, Gll.i., Vioc. II. S. Nat Mus., i, 1878, 1'l'T; v, 1889, Ojl.— (Li-lKEN, Vi<li;iisk. Medd I'ra ik'ii Natur- 

 hist. Formi., t'oiuiiliageu, 1879-'80, (J7, 68.) 



Ceratiids resembling Himanfolophits but having the body short-oval; dorsal with .j rays; 

 pectoral with about 7. 



Dr. Gill, replying to certain strictures as to the validity of this genns, made by Liitken, 

 states that the distinction alleged to exist between Himantolophus and (Joiynolophii.s are 

 very marked, and ([uite sullicient to justify two genera. He forcibly remarks that there is 

 no reason except the nuKjularity and (jrcatiws.s, of the (liXJ'ennmti spcvijivd, for doubting the 

 correctness of Iteinliardt's observations. 



COKYNOLOPIIUS KEINIIAKH'ITI, (Lutken), (Jill. 



IliMantolophna Ri'mhardiu, LuTKEN, K. Dausk. Vicluiisk. Selsk., 1880, 809, pis. i, ii, li^s- 1-4.— Gi'NTUEU, 



JoitUAN, loc. cit. 

 ('orijuolophiis RciiihaiiHii, Gill, i'roc. V. S. Nat. Jliis., i, 1878. 227; v, 1883, ri.">l. 



The body is short oval, its height three-fourths its length. The dorsal lin lias .Trays, 

 the pectoral 17. The cephalic ray is provided with about 8 tentacles. The body armed 

 with prickly scales, sparingly distributed. 



A single specimen, 14 inches long, is known from the coast of Greenland. 



.^GEONICHTHYS, Clarke. 



JEtjcoHichthijs, t^LAUKE, Trans. New Zcalaiul Institute, x, 1878, 245.— Gill, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., i, 1878, 227. 



Ceratiids with body and head depressed, month with the cleft vertical, or inclined for- 

 ward, and mandibular articulation under, or in advance of snout. {GUI.) 



This is a foiin closely allied to Himnutolophus, aiul excelling it in grotesqueness. It 

 is represented by a single species, A. Appelii,<JVMke {h>c. cit., p. 245, pi. vi), obtaineil in 

 the deep sea off New Zealand. Giinther gives interesting details about the head of the 

 cephalic spine, whicli is phosphorescent and a. lure for other abyssal animals. (See Chal- 

 lenger lleport, xxii, PI). 51, 52.) 



MELANOCETUS, Gunther. 



Melanocctm, GrNTliEU, Pror, Zoiil. Soc. Jjotidcm lsi)4,:i01 (type, .1/. Jolinsouii, GCntiiei!) GhalU-nscr Iv'i'port, 

 XXII, 5(5.— Gill, loc. cil. 

 ('eratiids with naked skin; with very large mouth, having a. snbvertical cleft; witii no 

 second dorsal sjiine; with branchial arches unarmed and bianchial in 2A pairs. 



MELANOCETUS JOHNSONlI, GrNTiiKi;. ( Fi-uic 10(i. ) 



Mclunoci-lu» Jolinsouii, GuNTUEK, Pioc. Zoiil. Soc. London, 18t;i, :iOI, \<\. 25.— Study of Fishes, 1880, 473, tig. 

 211 ; Challenger Kejiort, xxii, 57. — Gill, loc. cit. 

 .\ single si>ecimen, 3.8 inches long, is known. It was obtained by Mr. .Tohnson at 

 IMadeira, and had, it is said, a iScopelim li inches long and 1 inch high, rolled up in a ball 

 in its stomach. 



"This singular lish," says (iiintiier, "is distinguished by a greater disproportion of the 

 various iiarts of its body than is found in the other genera of the family to which itbehnigs. 

 Tiie head is of tetrahedral form and is the most extensive part of the whole animal. The 

 gape is enormous, and, although the lower jaw is vertical when the mouth is closed, it can 

 be moved downwards at more than a right angle. The lateral extensibility of the mcmth 

 is not less than the vertical, so that the prey which can be received within the cavity of 

 the mouth actually may exceed the size of the fish itself. This enormous head is followed 

 by a very small trunk and tail, tlio length of both being less than the depth of the head. 

 As the trunk would not offer suflicient room for an addomiual cavity corresponding in size 



