312 LOPHOTID^. 



Fam. 28. LOPHOTIDiE. 



Taenioidei, part., Cuvier. 



Body elongate, strongly compressed, naked ; eye lateral ; cleft Of 

 the mouth nari'ow, with the dentition feeble. Vent situated near 

 the extremity of the tail. One dorsal fin, occupying the whole length 

 of the back, composed of flexible rays which do not show either arti- 

 culated joints or branches. Anal short ; caudal in the longitudinal 

 axis of the fish ; vcntrals thoracic. Gill-opening wide ; branchio- 

 stegals six ; gills four ; pseudobranchise. Muscles coherent. 



Although the fishes of this family are of very rare occurrence in the 

 Mediterranean and in the sea of Japan (the only localities in which 

 they have been hitherto found), we do not think that they inhabit 

 as great depths as the Trachypteridce, their bony and soft parts being 

 of a much firmer consistence and well coherent. They appear to 

 feed on other maiine animals. 



1. LOPHOTES. 



Lophotes, Cfiorna, Mem. Accad. Torino, ix. 1803, p. 19 ; Cuv, RegneAn. 



Head elevated into a very high crest, at the anterior extremity of 

 which the dorsal fin commences. The vent is situated near the ex- 

 tremity of the tail ; a small anal fin behind it ; ventrals and caudal 

 small, the former thoracic. Mouth not protractile, subverticah 

 Teeth in the jaws, on the vomer, and on the palate. Air-bladder 

 present. 



Mediterranean. Sea of Japan. 



1. Lophotes cepedianus. 



Giorna, Mem. Accad. Torino, 1803, ix. p. 19. pi. 11. fig. 1 ; Cuv. Ann. 

 Mus. XX. p. 393. pi. 17; Cuv. ^ Val. x. p. 405. pi. 301. 



B. 6. D. 230. A. ^. C. 17. P. 15. V. 1/5. 



The first dorsal spine compressed, exceedingly strong, and elongate. 

 Silvery, fins rose-coloured. 

 Mediterranean. 



a. Fifty-eight inches long : stuffed. Old Collection. 



b. Three feet long. Presented by Sir A. Smith. 



This species, or one most closely allied to it, occurs in the Seas of 

 Japan. It has been named Lophotes capellei, Schleg. Faun. Jap. Poiss. 

 p. 132. pi. 71. The characters by which it is distinguished fiom the 

 Mediterranean species appear to be the more doubtful as the de- 

 scription is taken from a figure. 



