SCIENTIFIC KESITLT8 OF EXPLORATIONS BY THE U. S. 

 FlSir COMMISSION STFAMEK ALBATKOSS. 



[Publislicd by perniissioii of Hon. Marshall JIcDonalil, Coiiiiiiissioinr of Fisheries.] 



No XXVIir.— ON CETOMIMID.E AND KONDELETIID.E, TW(> NEW FAMILIES 

 OF BATHYBIAL FISHES FROM THE NORTHWESTERN ATLANTIC. 



By (I. Brown Goode and Tarleton II. Bean. 



In our forth connui;- work eutitled " Oceanic, Ichtliyology" the three 

 species here noticed will be described and figured. The publication of 

 this work will probably be delayed for several months, and it is thought 

 proper to publish in advance some account of these very interesting 

 forms, each of which is represented by a single specimen. 



These are IMalacopterygian fishes, belonging to the group set aside 

 by Gill under the name Iniomi. Their relations to the other members 

 of the order are not well understood by us, but they are somewhat 

 closely allied to the Synodonticbe, though lacking scales and the adi- 

 pose dorsal fin, and having granular teeth arranged in bands. 



The family Rondeletiida' is distinguisht'd from Cetomimida* by the 

 presence of ventral tins, and the incompleteness of the opercular 

 ax)paratus. 



C E T o M I M I u ^ , new family. 



Malacopterygian, with body somewhat compressed, scaleless. Head 

 naked. Lateral line conspicuous. No barbels. No i)hotophores. 

 Mouth exceedingly large; the margin of the upper jaw formed by the 

 premaxillaries only; the lower jaw strongly curved, and slightly pro- 

 jecting beyond the upper. Teeth in ja.ws in bands, granular. The 

 vomer, the palatines, the pterygoids, and also the first gill-arch and 

 the lingual bones (which are greatly enlarged), as well as the upper 

 pharyngeals, are covered with teeth of a similar character. Opercular 

 aj)paratus incomplete; its bones very thin, membrane-like. Mesocora- 

 coid wanting. Post-temporal connected with back of cranium, near 

 sides. No adipose flu. Dorsal fin far back, short, high, inserted oi)po- 

 site the anal which it resembles. Pectorals short, placed rather low. 



Proceedings of the U. S. National Museum, Vol. XVH — No. 1012. 



451 



