594 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



Centrobranclius choerocephalus " Fowler, riate 69, Fi};-. 1. 



Dorsal 11 ; anal IS; poctdral 13; ventral 8; Kcalew in a longitudinal series 39; in a transverse series 

 10, excludinji the median inw almve and below. 



(ireatest dej)tli of body 20 hundredths of total lei]gtli without eaudal; least depth of caudal 

 peduncle 4; length of head L'(i; diameter of orbit 7; inti'inrbital width 8; length of snout 7.5; jirojection 

 of snout beyond premaxillaries 4.5; length of maxillary 14; distance from tip of snout to front of 

 dorsal 45, from front of dorsal to adipose dorsal 29, fn>m front of adi}>ose dorsal to rudimentary caudal 

 rays 27, from tipof snout to ventrals 37, from tij) of snout to origin of anal 53; base of anal 24; distance 

 from last anal ray to base of median caudal ray 26; length of pectoral 12; length of ventral 10. 



Body very slender, ventral outline a little more strongly curved than dorsal; behind tlie vent 

 the form tapers ra])idly to the very l^mg and slender cauilal jieduncle; eyes small, the diameter a trifle 

 shorter than length ai snipiit; cleft of moiitli strongly convex upward, extending well behind the 

 orbits, and overpassed anteriorly l)y the strongly protruding conical snout; maxillary a very slender 

 rod, not at all widened towanl tip; premaxillary teeth in a single series; mandiljular and palatine 

 .eeth in narrow bands; head of vomer with a pair of small round prominences covered with teeth; 

 inside the palatine band is a shoiter wider patch of teeth on each side median line of roof of mouth; 

 preiipercular margin entire, but little oblique; gill-rakers nearly obsolete, represented oidy by 2 to 4 

 small jirotuberances on each limb near the angle, each rudiment liearing minute spines. 



The first dorsal ray is over the fourteenth scale of the mid-lateral series, and over the tips of the 

 ventrals; base of ventrals vertically below the ninth scale of this .series, first anal ray lielow the eight- 

 eenth; the pectorals fail to reach the middle of ventrals, and the ventrals do not reach the vent. 



Scales thin, with entire edges, rather lirmly adherent, those of the mid-lateral series larger than 

 the others, liut largely concealed anterioi'ly liy the series above and below them; they bear no tubes; 

 head entirely invested with scales, which c(-iver mandibles and snout; 2 to 4 series of scales cover 

 tlie basal half of the anterior portions of dorsal and anal fins. 



I'hotophores arranged as follows: Preoculars 2, one at the upper, the other at the lower end of a 

 narrow vertical pigment band on the anterior orbital rim, both nnnute, but the lower easily visible, 

 the upper usually concealed beneath the ]irotniding margin of the frontal in alcoholic si)ecimens and 

 made out only on dissection; mandibulars 3; operculars 2, the upper large, the lower minute and rudi- 

 mentary beneath the preojiercular margin, visible only on ilissection; pectorals 3, the upper very 

 slightly above and in front of the base (jf the upper pectoral ray, tlie midlife immediately below base 

 of lower ray, tlie lower concealed beneath the opercular margin, nearly midway between base of 

 pectoral and the second thoracic photophore; thoracics 5, forming with their fellows 2 gently diverging 

 series, the first, second, ami tliird pairs usually a little more widely spaced than the others, the third 

 and fourth pairs usually less widely spaced than the fourth and fifth; ventrals 4, evenly spaced, tlie 

 lines parallel; anals 5-| 11, the break in the series over the middle of the anal fin; the second and third 

 antero-anals often more widely spaced than the others; caiidals 2, in a horizontal line immediately in 

 front of the rudimentary caudal raj's, more closeh' approximated than those forming the anal series; 

 supraventrals 1, halfway between liase of ventrals and middle of sides; supra-anals 3, forming a very 

 oblique gently curved line, the upper encroaching on the mid-lateral row of i-'cales and vertically above 

 the vent, the middle one halfway lietween middle of sides and the fourth of the ventral series and 

 slightly in front of the latter, the lowermost occupying a similar position with reference to the third 

 of the ventral series, w'hich it more closely approximates: posterolateral 1, over the break in the anal 

 .series and just below the mid-lateral line; the antero-anals vary from 4 to 7, in the following propor- 

 tions, each side of each specimen separately enumerated: 4 in 2 cases, 5 in 64 cases, 6 in 68 cases, 7 in 8 

 cases; the postero-anals vary from 9 to 12: 9 in 15 cases, 10 in 84 cases, 11 in 42 cases, 12 on but one side 

 of one specimen. 



The combinations 5+10, 5 fll, 5^12, 6 i 9, 6-)-10, 6-11, and 7 • 9 are fonuil, tlmse occurring most 

 fre(|uently being 6+10, 5+ 11, and 541". in the order numed. 



The sum of the anals varies from 14 to I 7, as follows: 14 in 3 cases, 15 in 37 cases, 16 in 90 cases, 17 

 in 12 cases. 



"This species wa.s recognized by mo as new and as representins n new generie t>pe. .und tlie deseripliuns here driven 

 had been prepared before the receipt of the pap<r tiy Mr. F<i\vler. 



