148 



The widely-distensible mandible projects much beyond the upper jaw. 

 Five large, distant, fixed fangs in each premaxiUa, as well as a freely movable 

 one near the symphysis ; a few minute, inconspicuous, distant denticulations in 

 the maxillae ; eight or nine moderate-sized laterally-projecting fangs on each 

 limb of the mandible, decreasing in size from before backwards ; a fang on each 

 side of the vomer, and two small, distant, incurved teeth on each palatine. 



The barbel, which is as long as the caudal fin, is trifid at its extremity. 

 Opercular bones membranaceous. 



No scales ; the body, which is coated with tenacious mucus, is mapped out 

 into silvery hexagonal areolae. There are on each side along the ventral surface 

 of the body two rows of small luminous organs ; the internal extends from the 

 mandibular symphysis to the base of the caudal, but, owing to the denudation of 

 the integuments of the tail, the number of its constituents cannot be determined 

 beyond the origin of the anal fin, up to which point there are 57, namely, to the 

 base of the pectorals 9, to the base of the ventrals 51, to the origin of the anal 

 57 ; the external extends from the base of the pectoral to the origin of the anal, 

 and numbers 45. There is a single luminous organ on the barbel and a row 

 along the base of the branchiostegal rays. The dorsal fin arises at the level of 

 the third anal ray. Caudal pointed, its length is about one-twelfth of the total. 

 The pectorals, which arise near the ventral profile, are equal in length to the 

 caudal. The ventrals are very long, reaching to the sixth anal ray. 



Colours in the fresh state : — jet black, with silvery hexagonal markings. A 

 long slender air-bladder is present. 



One specimen, a little over 5 inches long. 

 Arabian Sea, off the Laccadives, 738 fathoms. 

 Regd. No. 13075. 



Malacosteus, Ayres. 



Malacosteus, Ayres, Jonrnal Boston Soc. Nat. Hiet. 1849, p. 53 : Giinther, Cat. Fishes, V. p. 427, and Chal- 

 lenger Deep Sea Fishes, p. 212 : Goode and Bean, Oceanic Ichthyology, p. 113 : Jordan and Evermann, Fishes X. 

 America, p. 592. 



Differs from Stomias in the following respects : — 



The body is not so low and elongate, and the skin is perfectly smooth and 

 scaleless. The head is not so much compressed, and the gape is even wider, the 

 ends of the jaws extending beyond the root of the pectoral. There are no teeth 

 on the palate. The opercle is membranaceous. The pectorals are rudimentary, 

 and the ventrals are not placed so far back, being well in front of the posterior 

 third of the body. 



Distribution : Atlantic ; Andaman Sea ; off Philippines. 



