\, 



10 "terra nova" expedition. 



Bathydbaconidae. 



Gymnodraco, with its depressed naked body, pointed snout, and compressed 

 uniserial teeth with strong anterior canines, is connected with the genera with the 

 body subcylindrica] and more or less scaly, the snout spatulate, and the teeth 

 villiform or cardiform, in bands, without canines, by the little known Parachaenichthys. 

 Examples of P. ijeovyianux Eisch. recently brought back from South Georgia by Mr. P. 

 Stammwitz, show that Parachaenichthys has nothing to do with the Chaenichthyidae, 

 but is a member of the Bathydraconidae, with the depressed form and naked body of 

 Gymnodraco, but the mouth and teeth of Bathydraco and its allies. 



In Parachaenichthys and Gymnodraco the feeble ribs arc attached to the long 

 epipleurals al some distance from the centra,* but in Prionodraco the ribs are stronger, 

 are inserted directly on the short parapophyses and bear the epipleurals near their 

 proximal en< Is. 



/ 'rionodraco, Regan. 

 Prionodraco, Regan, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8) xm, 1914, p. 13. 



Body elongate, compressed, quadrangular, with a series of V-shaped, serrated, 

 bony plates al each angle : each plate with a backwardly directed spine. Lower scries 

 "I plates ending in a group of nearly normal serrated scales behind pectoral tin; 

 usually a series of similar scales alone' middle of side; body otherwise naked. Lateral 

 line single, incomplete. Snout spatulate; mouth slightly protractile; teeth small, 

 villiform. in hands. Vertebrae I (i + 34. 



I'.i. Prionodraco ccanxii, Regan (PI. vn. fig. 1). 



Prionodraco evansii, Regan, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8) xm, 1914, \>. 13. 



Depth of body 7 to s in the length, length of head :: to :\\. Snout as Ion-- as or 

 a little longer than diameter of eye, which is :; to :)\ in length of head: interorbital 



width L5 or i •(• in length of head. Lower jaw a little projecting; maxillary 



extending to below anterior margin of eve. Operculum ending in a flat antrorse 1 k. 



1 8 gill-rakers on lower part of anterior arch. Dorsal .">4-:'>7. Anal 29-31. Pectoral 

 a to l length of head, extending beyond origin of anal : pelvics not reaching the vent. 

 Caudal rounded or subtruncate. About 50 plates in upper series ; lateral line ending 

 below anterior part of dorsal tin. Dark spots on body; usually a well-defined lateral 

 series of large oblong or squarish spots ; a blackish spot on base of anterior pari of 

 dorsal ; dorsal, caudal and pectorals with series of spots on the rays. 



Eleven specimens, measuring up to 132 mm. in total length, from the Ross Sea. 

 71 25' S., I7'.i 3' E., 158 fathoms; and the entrance to McMurdo Sound, 76 56' S., 

 I HI L2' E., L60 fathoms, and 77 L3' S.. L64° is' E., 207 fathoms. 



This species is named after ( lommander E. R. < r. !!. Evans, R.N., c.B. 



As in the Gobiesocidae, which also have the body depressed. 



