^°i89o'"'] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUxM. 71 



28. Microspathodon cinereus sp. nov. 



This species apparently differs from the type of Microspathodon in 

 the production of its dorsal, anal, and caudal lobes to form filaments, 

 and to some extent in the dentition. It may be necessary to consider 

 it the type of a distinct genus. 



Body deep, compressed, the nape high and compressed, the anterior 

 profile very steep, slightly concave in front of orbits. Head very wide 

 and heavy below, mouth wide, transverse, its width nearly twice its 

 lateral clefc, the maxillary reaching vertical from midway between nos- 

 tril and front of eye. Maxillary almost wholly slipping under the 

 broad preorbital, its distal half strongly U-shaped, with the convexity 

 backwards, and its anterior margin displaying a deep re entrant curve. 



Dentary portion of mandible consisting of an anterior transverse 

 portion, and the two lateral limbs, which form about a right angle with 

 anterior portion, and are convexly bent towards median line. It would 

 much resemble a U with the lateral limbs convex inwards instead of 

 outwards. The anterior portion is provided with a single series of 

 rather firmly fixed elongate incisor teeth with truncate edges; the lateral 

 teeth are similar but smaller. 



Teeth in the upper jaw strongly compressed laterally, but with the 

 extreme tip fiatteued antero-posteriorly, so as to render them narrow 

 incisors. They are very loosely implanted, extremely movable, and are 

 in a single functional series, the teeth of which are replaced by others 

 which appear above along front of jaw. Between vomer and front of 

 jaw is a median firm fleshy pad, with free anterior margins; a some- 

 what similar pad at each angle of mouth. No teeth on vomer or pala- 

 tines. 



Nostril single, round, midway between front of jaw and middle of 

 orbit. Eye small, high, its diameter 2^ in width of preorbital, 5 in head. 

 Preopercle smooth or minutely crenate at the angle; none of the bones 

 of head serrate or spinous. Gills 3^, the inner half of fourth gill de 

 veloped about one-fourth length of others. A small bnt evident pore 

 behind fourth gill. Gill-rakers short and weak, not toothed, about 

 twenty on anterior limb of outer arch. Gill membranes forming a 

 broad fold across the isthmus. 



Fins entirely enveloped in scales, which are large at base of tins, 

 becoming minute on soft portions. Dorsal spines strong, regularly in- 

 creasing, the highest 2i in head. Anal spines strong, the second but 

 little shorter than longest dorsal spines. Soft dorsal and anal Gns con- 

 spicuously falcate, the median rays of fins produced beyond fork of 

 caudal, the anterior margins strongly convex, the posterior strongly 

 concav^e. Longest dorsal and anal rays more than hal f length. Caudal 

 deeply forked, the lobes also greatly falcate, equaling in length the 

 lobes of dorsal and anal. Outer ventral rays produced, extending be- 

 yond frontof anal. Pectorals short, rounded, reaching vertical from vent. 



