DISTRIBUTION AND LOCATION 289 



large eyes and a blunt snout is more normal. Of the Anacan- 

 thini the Macruridae are all inhabitants of deep water and some 

 of them exclusively abyssal ; Macrurus itself, characterised by 

 its long tapering tail, large eyes, and projecting pointed snout, 

 is represented by numerous species ranging from about a hun- 

 dred to nearly 2000 fathoms. The other genera are not very 

 different in structure ; the species found at the greatest depths 

 is Lionurns filicauda, taken by the Challenger at 1375 and 2650 

 fathoms off the east and west coasts of the southern extremity 

 of S. America. Some species of the cod family (Gadidae) also 

 are abyssal, Melanonus gracilis, for instance, was taken by the 

 Challenger at 1957 fathoms in the Antarctic. 



Among the spiny-finned fishes (Acanthopterygii) the most 

 characteristic of the abyssal families are the Ceratiidae and 

 Malthidae belonging to the Sub-Order Pediculati and allied to 

 the anglers or Lophiidse, and the Zoarcidae, which are some- 

 times divided into several families, the abyssal forms being 

 called Brotulidae. 



The abyssal sea-devils, as the Ceratiidae were called by 

 Giinther, differ usually from Lophius, the common angler, in 

 being compressed from side to side instead of being flattened, 

 but they possess the characteristic dorsal tentacles, one or more, 

 representing rays of the first dorsal fin, and the anterior tentacle 

 often terminates in a luminous organ which probably acts as a 

 lure to other abyssal fishes. One of the most modified forms 

 is Dolopichthys, a small fish only two to three inches long, in 

 which the fins are rudimentary and the tentacle is long and 

 jointed with a luminous organ at its end ; it was discovered at 

 770 fathoms off the Pacific coast of Central America. The 

 greatest depth at which fishes of this family were obtained was 

 2450 fathoms, at which a specimen of Melanocetus murrayi was 

 captured ; in this fish, also a few inches long, there is only one 

 tentacle above the mouth and it shows no luminous organ. 

 Mancalias uranoscopus, a species with large luminous organ was 

 taken by the Challenger at 2400 fathoms. Malthidae, in which 

 the body is depressed and the tentacle reduced to a papilla, have 

 been taken down to 1270 fathoms. Chaunax is placed among 

 the Antennariidae ; it has a beautiful red colour and is found at 

 moderate depths. 



Among the Brotuloids are two genera which are almost the 



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