PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 273 



DESCRIPTIOIV OF TWO JSEW SPECIES OF SC0PEL.03D FISBIES, 

 srDIS KaiVCJErvS AIV» iT^IVCTOPEaUM CKEIVULARE, FROJn SAIVTA 

 BAKKAKA CCIA.^IVEIL, € AliaFOBi-VflA. 



By DATBI> 8. JOKOAIV »nd CSIAESLBS ii. OBLBERT. 



Stidis ringens, sp. no v. 



The type of this species is in very poor condition, having been taken 

 from the stomach of a Merhwius^ itself found in the stomach of an Albi- 

 coie {Orcynus alaJonga = Orcymis pacificus Cooper). The process of 

 digestion has destroyed the adipose fin, the ventral lius, and the skin of 

 one side, and the back part of the head is considerably m-ntilated. 

 Fortunately, the anterior part of the head, with the jaws and teeth, is not 

 at all injured, and the dorsal and anal fins are well preserved. There 

 is, therefore, no doubt concerning the classification of the fish, and as it 

 is the only one of its type yet found in the Pacific, and evidently differ- 

 ent from 6'. hyalina., a desci'i[)tiou of it seems desirable, even though our 

 material is not complete. 



Body very slender and elongate, compressed, the depth forming about 

 one-sixteenth of the length. Head rather slender, anteriorly pointed 

 and moderatel}' depressed, so much injured behind the eyes that its ex- 

 act form posteriorly cannot be ascertained. Mouth large, horizontal, 

 the gape extending more than half the length of the head. Margin of 

 the upper jaw formed entirely by the very slender, nearly straight i^re- 

 maxillaries, which are closely aj)pressed to the long and slender maxil- 

 laries. Maxillaries extending to below the eye, nearly as far as the man- 

 dibular joint. Tip of u])per jaw emarginate. Tip of lower jaw rather 

 broad, turned up, and fitting in the notch of the upper jaw. Premaxilla- 

 ries armed with a series of small, sharp, subeqnal, close-set teeth, which 

 are hooked backward. A long slender canine in front on each side. 



Lower jaw with about ten sharp, slender teeth on each side, these 

 teeth very unequal, some of them short, three or four very long and 

 canine-like. l:>5"ear the front is one fang-like tooth on each side, then a 

 considerable interspace, behind which the others are arranged partly 

 in two rows. Most of these teeth, especially the inner and larger ones, 

 and the anterior canines, are freely depressible. A long series of teeth 

 on the palatines, one or two of the anterior teeth on each side and one 

 or two others long, slender, and fang-like. Tongue free anteriorly, 

 roughish, but apparently without teeth. 



Opercular bones very thin and membranaceous. Branchiostegals 

 about seven. Gill-membranes not connected. GiL -rakers short, sharp, 

 spine-like. 



Scales nearly all lost. The few preserved are very large, cycloid, 

 their diameter nearly a four(h of the depth of the body. 



Dorsal fin inserted somewhat behind the middle of the body, at a 

 distance of nearly 4 times its base in front of the anal, its height a little 

 greater than the length of its base. It is composed of 11 (I, 10) rays. 

 Adipose dorsal not preserved. 



Proc. Is^it. Mus. 80 18 Sept. 28, 1880. 



