582 



BULLETIN OF THE TTNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



Family CHIM.4-:RII)^-:. 

 Chimaera purpurescens, new speries. Fig. 2M1. 



Type, a female, 90 em. long, from ^^tation 41SH, vicinity of Kauai, depth 957 to l,0(i7 fathoms; 

 type, No. 51.'"i9L', V. S. Nat. Mus. 



Hea<l anil body very robust, deep and comjire.ssed, di-pth 4.4 in length measured to end of .secoml 

 dorsal tin; snout high and compres.sed, without appendages, protruding beyond nostrils for a di.stanee 

 about equaling diameter of orbit; eye large, nearly cireular, the diameter of exposed portion very 

 slightly exceeding the interorbital width, which is 0.2 the length of head; front of eye midway in 

 length nf head; distance from nostrils to tip of snout contained 2.S times in length of head; anterior 

 dental himin;i' of upper jaw with 7 enamel rods on each siile the median line; first and second enamel 

 rods on each side of median line in lower jaw very widely spaced, ending in ai'ute jioints with deeply- 

 concave border between tliem, the length of the points slightly exceeding auterior lamina' of upjier 

 jaw; four sensory canals intersect at a ])oint vertically below hinder margin of orbit: one canal runs 

 upward an<l backward from point of intersection in direction of dorsal spine, meeting, almost at right 

 angles on level of upjier rim of orbit, a line descending fi-om the nape; posteriorly to the point of 

 union, the latter describes a sharp curve with the convexity directed downward, and then becomes 

 the lateral line, the undulations of which are few and faint. 



llnrsal spine com|iaratively slender and nearly straight, containing no postci'ior groove, and not 



KiG. 2'M. — Chim.ri-a jutrpunsi-niti CillnTt. iii'W Hpccie.<;. Type. 



serrate along posterodateral angles; the soft rays are attacheil nearly to its tip, as can be made out by 

 the torn membrane adhering to it; anterior angle fif soft portion of tin evenly rounded, protruding 

 slightly beyond the spine; i)osterior rays short, the last joined to the back by a low memlirane con- 

 necting it with first ray of second dor.sal; distance between base of last ray of first dorsal and origin of 

 second dorsal eipial to two-thirds the height of the (irsf; first dor.sal spine, when declined, reaches slightly 

 beyond the origin of second dorsal; the soft portion of the (irst dorsal and the membrane joining it to 

 the second are contained in a deep groove; length of spine contained 1.7 times in In \id; (be second dorsal 

 rises rapidly, reaching its greatest height op])Osite tips of pectorals, where it is aboul 0.2 the length of 

 head, its margin entire, nonsinuate throughout; notch between secoinl dorsal and "caudal" deup, but 

 not to base of lin; no distinct anal fin, the fin on lower side of tail regularly diminishing in height 

 anteriorly, and without notch; pectoral not falcate, exiending well l)eyond base of ventrals, and longer 

 than head; ventrals contained 1.6 times in length of head; tail broken at a distance of IS cm. behind 

 end of second dorsal, very slender at that point, and probably n(jt proiluced to form a filament. 



Color uniform jiurplish or plum color throughout. 



Only the type is known fmm Hawaiian waters, bul a large specimen from .bijian has recenlly been 

 identified with this spcci<'S by I'rof. .1. <). Snydei'. 



