190 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. los 



The osteology, anatomy, and classification of the berycoid fishes 

 have been generally treated by Starks (1904) and Regan (1911). 

 The Polymixiidae, possessing a unique pair of chin barbels, were 

 incorrectly related to the Mullidae by many earlier workers owing 

 to this superficial character. Several distinct fossil genera are known 

 dating as early as the Cretaceous, but only one living genus exists. 

 David (1946, p. 63) described a new fossil genus, Parapolymixia, 

 based on scales from the California Eogene, but the differences 

 when compared to Polymixia are not explicit and may represent 

 only a specific level of differentiation. 



Collections and methods 



A total of 277 specimens were available for study from the eastern 

 and western Atlantic Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. I have 

 also seen or have had examined for me the types of six of the seven 

 nominal forms. All collections and types are listed by geographic 

 areas in the descriptions of the respective species. 



I am greatly indebted to several of my colleagues who generously , 

 made available to me collections and certain information. Special 

 thanks are due William C. Schroeder, Museum of Comparative 

 Zoology (MCZ), for making available the extensive collections from 

 Cuban waters taken by him on the Atlantis expedition under the 

 jomt auspices of Harvard University and the University of Havana, 

 and also specimens taken in deep waters off Long Island, N. Y., byi 

 the Woods Hole Oceanographic expeditions {Captain Bill II), as 

 well as other miscellaneous specimens and types of Dinemus venustus 

 Poey in the Museum of Comparative Zoology. M3^ appreciation is 

 also extended to: Dr. Reeve M. Bailey, Museum of Zoology, Uni- 

 versity of Michigan (UMMZ), for the loan of specimens from Japan; 

 Loren P. Woods, Chicago Natural History Museum (CNHM), for 

 data from specimens from Madeira, the Gulf of Mexico, and Japan; 

 John T. Nichols, American Museum of Natural History, New York 

 (AMNH), who made available the types of P. nobilis mrginica Nichols 

 and Firth and a specimen from Japan; Alwyne C. Wheeler, British 

 Museum (Natural History) (BM), for providing me with data from 

 the types of P. nobilis Lowe, P. lowei Gunther, and P. japonica 

 Giinther, data from several specimens from Madeha, St. Helena, and 

 Japan, and an X-ray photograph of the type of japonica. All other 

 collections listed, including the type of P. berndti Gilbert, are in the 

 U. S. National Museum (USNM). Isaac Ginsburg, U. S. Fish and 

 Wildlife Service, made available 50 specimens of lowei (USNM 

 157749-54) from the Gulf of Mexico taken by the U. S. Fish and 

 Wildlife Service Exploratory Fishmg Vessel Oregon. Dr. Fenner 



