47 



Two dorsal fins, the first short, the second long and similar to the anal. 

 Caudal forked. Pectorals small, median. Ventrals jugular, of good size. 

 An elongate air-bladder. A few large pyloric cseca. 



28. Chamjysodon vorax, Gimther. 



Champsodon vorax, Giinther, P. Z. S. 1867, p. 102, and Challenger Shore Pishes, pp. 43, 52, 56, pi. xxm. fig. A, 

 and Challenger Deep-Sea Fishes, p. 49: Aleook, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, Vol. LVIII.pt. 2, 1889, p. 302 : Illustra- 

 tions OP THE Zoology of the Investigatob, Fishes, pl. XXVIII. fig. 5. 



B. 7. D. V. 21. A. 19. 



Length of head 3-, height of body 5 to 5^ in the total without the caudal. 



All parts of the head, except the edge of the operculum, the throat and 

 branchiostegal membranes, and the sides of the chin, are covered with very 

 small granular scales, among which are some rows of tiny gland-like papillae. 

 The crown of the head is flat, and is traversed, from the snout backwards, by a 

 pair of ridges, which are fairly parallel as far as the occiput and then diverge to 

 end each in a supra-clavicular spinule. There are two diverging spines on the 

 edge of the preorbital, two spinules on the lower edge of the interoperculum, 

 and a long dagger-like spine at the angle of the preoperculum. 



The snout, measured to the tip of the prominent lower jaw, is nearly twice 

 the length of the eye, which, in the adult, is about one-fifth the length of the 

 head. Inter-orbital space flat ; its width equals the diameter of the eye. Pupil 

 small. Nostrils almost superior, near the tip of the snout. 



Mouth-cleft wide, very oblique, the lower jaw prominent, the maxilla 

 reaches well behind the posterior border of the orbit. The larger teeth in the 

 jaws are depressible. 



Gill-opening extremely wide ; gill-membranes quite free. Operculum thin, 

 striated. Pseudobranchi^ small. 



Body covered with minute ctenoid scales among which are some rows of 

 small gland-like papillae. Two indistinct lateral Hues, with numerous trans- 

 verse branches in which the gland-like papilla are generally found. 



First dorsal small, lower than the anterior part of the second dorsal, from 

 which it is separated by about an eye-length. The pectorals, which are not 

 much longer than the snout, arise high up on the side and consist of very 

 slender branched rays. Ventrals rather longer than the head without the 

 snout. 



Six or seven large pyloric Cfsca. 



Colours warm brown, gradually becoming whitish on the belly : the whole 

 surface with a frosted appearance : first dorsal black. 



The largest specimen in the Indian Museum — an adult female — is 5 inches 

 long. 



