(194 BULLETIN (IF THE I'NITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



Family CEKAT111).4:. 

 Miopsaras, new tjenut^. 



Like Mancalias and Cryptopmrna, but willi )j;isal joint uf the single dorsal spine thickened and 

 greatly reduced in length, ilirected forward ami lying concealed in a shallow pit, its distal portion 

 represented hy a short, slender, fleshy filament attached to tip of the heavy basal portion," which does 

 not ta|>er int(j it. ,V |iair of I'aruncles, without median element, as in ManraUuK. 



Body narmwly compressed, back gently arched, anterior profile and eleftof month directed clown- 

 ward and forward, lower profile rising in a nearlj' straight line to the slender caudal pedunc'lc; vomer 

 and palatines toothless; gill-opening a nearly vertical slit below axil of pectoral; gills 2J. the anterior 

 arch attached for the greater part of its length, as in .l/((ri7</(r».s,- filaments of onter series of anterior 

 arch but half as long as those of inner series, with which they alternate; third arch with a single series 

 of filaments, ami attached throughout; no gill-rakers developed; eyes minute and inconspicuous; 

 pectorals short, with IS i-ays; ventrals absent; skin densely covereil with minute spines, wliich form 

 a line shagreen. 



Miupsara^ CJilbert. new ^c-nns (if I 'rr/ilthlw {ini/ops). 



Miopsaras myops, new s)ie<'ies. Plate 99. 



Type, 114 ram. long ( from mamlibular articulation to tip of caudal ), from station 4019, in the vicin- 

 ity of Kauai Island, depth 409 to 5,-)0 fathoms; type, No. SUiST, U. S. Nat. I\Iiis. 



Length of head from ti]i of snout to gill-.slit 0. 1 greater than vertical depth at snout; greatest width 

 of head contained 'J. 7 times in length; length uf snout 2.7'! times; distance from tip of snout to end of 

 maxillary 2 times. D. 4; A. 4; P. 18; C. S. 



Mandible included, its symphysis jiroviiled with a strongly protruding spinous fi)i; niandil>ular 

 teeth anteriorly in 2 ill-defined series; inner teeth long and fang-like, all depressible; jiremaxillary 

 teeth in 2 or :! poorly marked series, the largest teeth located anteriorly in the inner row, not half size 

 of mandibular fan.s;s; tongue, vomer, and palatines toothless; a long slender nasal tube near tip of 

 snout, apparently with 2 perforati(jnsat its summit; gill-slit longer than pectoral fin, contained 6 times 

 in length of head, its upper end behind lower pectoral ra>'s, the direction of the slit downward and a 

 little forward. 



Dorsal s]jine inserted Imt little behind eye; length of l)asal ]Hjrtion less than '■', times its width, 

 about twice diameter of eye, and about 0.1 length of head; sjiine directed forward, in a shallow, naked 

 groove, the naked area narrowing in front of spine and continued well beyond it, aliout halfway to 

 tip of snout; t<i the tip of the basal portion, at its anterior (lower) face, is attached a slender white 

 filament, hardly to Ije made out with the unaided eye, the spine and filament scarcely extending 

 halfway from their base to tip of smiut; caruncles opposite ea(di other; distance from their insertion 

 to front of dorsal about equal to base of latter; no globular hotly between them, but immediately in 

 front, on Uicdian line, a slight elevation of the integument, containing a shallow, naked pocket, open- 

 ing ])osteriorly ; no ]iore could be detected ojjening into base of this pocket; caruncles each with a very 

 slender stalk and an enlargeil glolmlar head, the latter having a specialized area at tip, devoid of 

 prickles and covered with a thin opaque white integument; each caruncle perforated at ti|i by a short 

 slit or pore; fin rays all simple, except the 4 middle rays of caudal; longest caudal ray 0.S5 length of 

 head; pectoral very short, its length equaling that of gill-slit; vent se|iarafcd from anal fin by a dis- 

 tance equaling base of lattei'. 



Entire body, including all the fin rays, invested with dosc-sef jirickles; the gri>ove for dorsal spine, 

 the spine itself, tips of caruncles, eye, and lips the only nakcil ai-ciis. 



Body ;inil fins I'vcryw here jet-black; mouth cavity v\ hitish w ifli dusky areas. 



Only file ty)ie is known. 



