A Rare Fish From Laguna Beach 
A photograph of this fish was sent to Prof. Gilbert to whom we 
are indebted for the identification. The specimen was caught on 
a hook and line not far from the laboratory. It was brought in by 
Prof. A. M. Bean. No one in Laguna had ever seen anything like 
it and no one would venture an opinion as to what it was. 
Alepisaurus esculapius Bean 
Color, dark slaty gray above, sides silvery and irridescent, back 
steel blue reflections. Under parts a lighter gray silvery. Adipose, 
pectoral and caudal fins nearly black. Skin smooth, apparently 
without scales. 
Total length 101 cm. Length of head from tip of mouth to 
the back of the operculum 17 cm. Pectoral fin just back of oper- 
culum, beginning of the dorsal just over it. Length of snout to front 
of eye 6.6 cm. Eye 3.5 cm. long by 2.8 high. Breadth of pectoral 
at base 2.8 cm. Fin rays of pectorals at base 14 in number, the 
first and last are small, all the others branched. The first branch 
of the 4th to the 13th is branched again. The fifth ray with its 
branches is the longest, those on either side are quite long, so that 
the fin ends in one or several long streamers. Greatest length of 
fin 16.5 cm. 
Distance between back of fore fin and front of pelvic 19.2 cm. 
Pelvic fins 8 rays, first and last not branched, membrans as on all 
fins delicate and easily broken. Length of fin 5.7 cm. Anal opening 
3 cm. from back of anal fins, %4 cm. long, not quite so wide. Dis- 
tance from pectoral to anal fin 30 cm. Length of anal 10.8 cm. 17 
fin rays all branched but first and last, the first branch of each 
branched again. Longest part of fin (slantingly taken) 8 cm., one 
to the 6th fin rays nearly as long. 
Tail symmetrical short rays in center, about 2 cm. long, at outer 
margin longest about 14 cm., about 40 fin rays in the tail. 
Dorsal fin about 58 cm. long, 34 fin rays unbranched. Most of 
the fin rays are long, 10 to 19 cm. Height of the fin through most 
of its distance 9 cm. 
