﻿[45] 
  CATALOGUE 
  OF 
  THE 
  FISHES 
  OF 
  NORTH 
  AMERICA. 
  833 
  

  

  Family 
  LI.— 
  STEENOPTYCHID^. 
  1 
  (43) 
  

   146.— 
  ARGYROPELECUS 
  - 
  Cocco. 
  

  

  533. 
  Argyropelecus 
  hemigymnus 
  Cocco. 
  O. 
  Eu. 
  

  

  534. 
  Argyropelecus 
  olfersi 
  Cuvier. 
  0. 
  Eu. 
  

  

  147.— 
  STERNOPTYX 
  3 
  Hermann, 
  — 
  

  

  535. 
  Sternoptyx 
  diaphana 
  Hermann^- 
  0. 
  Eu. 
  

  

  1 
  A 
  suborder 
  Jniomi, 
  to 
  include 
  tbe 
  Sternopiychidce 
  and 
  Chauliodontidce, 
  lias 
  been 
  pro- 
  

   posed 
  by 
  Dr. 
  Gill, 
  Proc. 
  U. 
  S. 
  Nat. 
  Mus., 
  1884, 
  350. 
  The 
  chief 
  respect 
  in 
  which 
  these 
  

   families 
  differ 
  from 
  the 
  other 
  Isospondyli 
  is 
  in 
  the 
  mode 
  of 
  articulation 
  of 
  the 
  scapular 
  

   arches, 
  which 
  connect 
  with 
  and 
  impinge 
  on 
  the 
  occiput 
  behind 
  and 
  are 
  otherwise 
  

   free 
  from 
  the 
  cranium. 
  (Iviov, 
  nape; 
  ootids, 
  shoulder.) 
  

  

  Dr. 
  Giinther 
  and 
  others 
  have 
  stated 
  that 
  the 
  SternoptycMdce 
  possess 
  a 
  "rudimentary 
  

  

  Bpinous 
  dorsal 
  fin." 
  This 
  appearance 
  is 
  due 
  to 
  the 
  projectiou 
  of 
  one 
  or 
  more 
  of 
  the 
  

  

  neural 
  spines 
  beyond 
  the 
  muscles, 
  and 
  is 
  in 
  no 
  proper 
  sense 
  a 
  rudiment 
  of 
  a 
  fin. 
  (See 
  

  

  Gill, 
  I.e., 
  350.) 
  

  

  2 
  Argyropelecus 
  Cocco. 
  

  

  (Pleurothyris 
  Lowe.) 
  

  

  (Cocco, 
  Giorn. 
  Sci. 
  Sicil., 
  1829, 
  fasc. 
  77, 
  p. 
  146; 
  type, 
  Argyropelecus 
  hemigymnus 
  

   Cocco.) 
  

  

  Body 
  much 
  elevated 
  and 
  compressed, 
  passing 
  abruptly 
  into 
  the 
  slender 
  tail 
  ; 
  no 
  

   scales, 
  the 
  skin 
  covered 
  with 
  silvery 
  pigment 
  ; 
  series 
  of 
  phosphorescent 
  spots 
  along 
  

   the 
  lower 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  head, 
  body, 
  and 
  tail. 
  Head 
  large, 
  compressed, 
  and 
  elevated, 
  

   the 
  bones 
  thin 
  but 
  ossified. 
  Cleft 
  of 
  mouth 
  wide, 
  vertical, 
  the 
  lower 
  jaw 
  prominent. 
  

   Margin 
  of 
  upper 
  jaw 
  formed 
  by 
  the 
  maxillary 
  and 
  premaxillary, 
  both 
  of 
  which 
  have 
  

   a 
  sharp 
  edge, 
  which 
  is 
  beset 
  with 
  minute 
  teeth; 
  lower 
  jaw 
  and 
  palatine 
  bones 
  with 
  

   a 
  series 
  of 
  small 
  curved 
  teeth. 
  Eyes 
  large, 
  very 
  close 
  together, 
  lateral, 
  but 
  directed 
  

   upwards. 
  Angle 
  of 
  preopercle 
  with 
  a 
  spine 
  usually 
  directed 
  downwards. 
  Pectorals 
  

   well 
  developed; 
  ventrals 
  very 
  small. 
  Humeral 
  arch 
  aud 
  pubic 
  bones 
  prolonged 
  into 
  

   flat 
  pointed 
  processes, 
  which 
  project 
  in 
  the 
  median 
  line 
  of 
  the 
  belly; 
  a 
  series 
  of 
  im- 
  

   bricated 
  scales 
  from 
  the 
  humeral 
  bone 
  to 
  the 
  pubic 
  spine, 
  forming 
  a 
  ventral 
  serrature. 
  

   Dorsal 
  fin 
  short, 
  median, 
  preceded 
  by 
  a 
  serrated 
  osseous 
  ridge, 
  consisting 
  of 
  several 
  

   neural 
  spines 
  prolonged 
  beyond 
  the 
  muscles. 
  Adipose 
  fin 
  rudimentary; 
  anal 
  fin 
  

   short 
  ; 
  caudal 
  forked. 
  Gill 
  opening 
  very 
  short, 
  the 
  outer 
  branchial 
  arch 
  extending 
  

   forward 
  to 
  behind 
  the 
  symphysis 
  of 
  the 
  lower 
  jaw, 
  and 
  beset 
  with 
  very 
  long 
  gill 
  

   rakers 
  ; 
  branchiostegals 
  nine 
  ; 
  pseudobranchise 
  and 
  air-bladder 
  present. 
  Four 
  pyloric 
  

   cceca. 
  Small 
  pelagic 
  fishes. 
  (ApyvpoS, 
  silvery 
  ; 
  TtsXeuvi, 
  hatchet.) 
  

  

  Argyropelecus 
  hemigymnus 
  Cocco. 
  Depth 
  of 
  body 
  equal 
  to 
  distance 
  between 
  gill- 
  

   openiugs 
  and 
  base 
  of 
  caudal; 
  posterior 
  corner 
  of 
  mandible 
  and 
  angle 
  of 
  preopercle 
  

   each 
  with 
  a 
  small 
  triangular 
  spine; 
  tail 
  without 
  spines; 
  pectoral 
  fin 
  nearly 
  reaching 
  

   anal. 
  B. 
  9, 
  D. 
  7 
  or 
  8, 
  A. 
  11, 
  P. 
  9, 
  V. 
  5, 
  L. 
  2 
  inches, 
  (Giinther). 
  Atlantic 
  and 
  Mediter- 
  

   ranean 
  in 
  deep 
  water; 
  not 
  rare 
  in 
  the 
  Gulf 
  Stream 
  off 
  Southern 
  New 
  England. 
  

  

  (Cocco, 
  1. 
  c, 
  Cuv. 
  & 
  Val. 
  XXII, 
  398; 
  Giinther, 
  V, 
  385; 
  Goode 
  & 
  Bean, 
  Bull. 
  Mus. 
  

   Comp. 
  Zool., 
  1882, 
  220.) 
  

  

  Argyropelecus 
  olfersi 
  (Cuvier) 
  C. 
  & 
  V. 
  Depth 
  nearly 
  or 
  quite 
  equal 
  to 
  distance 
  

   from 
  shoulder 
  to 
  root 
  of 
  caudal 
  ; 
  tail 
  as 
  deep 
  at 
  base 
  as 
  long. 
  Mandible 
  with 
  a 
  short 
  

   flat 
  spine 
  at 
  its 
  posterior 
  corner 
  ; 
  preopercular 
  spine 
  directed 
  downwards; 
  tail 
  with- 
  

   out 
  spines; 
  pectoral 
  fin 
  reaching 
  ventrals. 
  B. 
  9, 
  D. 
  9, 
  A. 
  11, 
  P. 
  10, 
  V. 
  6 
  (Giinther). 
  

   Coast 
  of 
  Norway, 
  lately 
  taken 
  in 
  the 
  Gulf 
  Stream, 
  off 
  Southern 
  New 
  England. 
  

  

  (Sternoptyx 
  olfersi 
  Cuvier, 
  R^gne 
  Animal., 
  ed. 
  2d, 
  II, 
  31G; 
  Cuv. 
  & 
  Val. 
  XXII. 
  408; 
  

   Giinther, 
  V, 
  386; 
  Pleurothyris 
  olfersi 
  Lowe, 
  Fish. 
  Madeira, 
  64.) 
  

  

  3 
  Sternoptyx 
  Hermann. 
  

  

  (Hermann, 
  Naturforscher, 
  17F1, 
  XVI. 
  8 
  ; 
  type 
  Sternoptyx 
  diaphana 
  Hermann.) 
  

  

  Trunk 
  much 
  elevated 
  and 
  compressed, 
  the 
  slender 
  tail 
  very 
  short; 
  abdominal 
  out- 
  

   S. 
  Mis. 
  70 
  53 
  

  

  