TEUTHIS ELEGANS. (A 
Body and head much compressed, outlines from the side suboval, arch of 
back regular in curvature, and that of the belly more convex at the bases 
of the ventrals, and more straight along the base of the anal fin; depth 
nearly four-fifths of the length to the base of the caudal, or two-thirds of 
the total. Head deeper than long, length one-third of that from snout to 
base of caudal, width one-fourth of the depth of the body. Compared with 
that of Teuthis triostegus L., the shape in this form is more rounded, less 
elongate; the body is more prominent at the ventrals, straighter along the 
anal fin, and the armature and the colors are quite different, though the 
formula of the fin rays is about the same in the two cases. Owing to 
the differences in colors, dentition, etc., it is not possible, in the absence of 
intermediate forms, to identify these specimens with the species described by 
Linné from India. Snout shorter than the eye, slightly prominent, blunt. 
Teeth compressed incisors, in single rows, bases narrow, crowns wider 
and convex; five of the anterior on each jaw larger, those of the upper 
series less conyex on the crown, which latter bears six sharp subequal cusps, 
and those of the lower series, more convex on the crown, with five cusps, 
the median of which is the largest. Behind the upper teeth, toward each 
angle of the mouth, there are four narrow slender teeth, each with three 
cusps (some have five), and at the backward end of each lower series there 
are three similar ones. Eyes large, more than one-ninth of the total 
length, two-thirteenths of the length to the base of the caudal, five-twelfths 
of the length of the head. Gills four; pseudobranchie large. 
Flanks and head crossed by file-like ridges, about seventy-five at the 
lateral line, each surmounted by sharp distantly-placed spines, alternating 
on the different ridges. These spines are grouped close together in threes 
to sixes on the ends of alternate ridges at the bases of dorsal and anal, 
where they form protections for the joints of the rays. More or less 
regularly, alternate ridges are shorter and end near the fins without a group 
of spines. The spines are more numerous and closer together on the sides 
of the caudal region. The post-oral ridges are vertical, the opercular ridges 
ascend obliquely backward, those of the crown are longitudinal, and those 
from the orbit and the occiput converge toward the first dorsal spine. 
First spine of dorsal and of anal short; second longest (that of the 
dorsal as long as the eye and the snout) and bearing on the anterior edge a 
series of about nine denticles. First spine of the ventrals strong, smooth- 
edged. A smooth acicular erectile spine at each side of the caudal pedicel. 
