104 

 4. Aleposomus Gill. 



(GiLL, American Natural. XVIII. 1884, P- 433)- 

 (Xenodermichthys Giinther). 



Slender, compressed, without scales or only in the lateral 

 line, which only in that case is conspicuous. Skin thick, 

 especially on the head and on the belly, with small irregular 

 papillae. Mouth small or moderate. Jaws feeble, with small 

 teeth in the intermaxilla, maxilla and mandible. Palate tooth- 

 less. Dorsal and anal nearly equal and about totally opposite. 

 Ventrals about in the middle of the body. Radii branchiostegi 

 6 7. Otherwise as in Alepocephalus. 



Synopsis of the species. 



A. Lateral line very conspicuous, with underlying scales, eye 



more than double of interorbital space A. lividus p. 104. 



B. Lateral line inconspicuous, without scales, eye somewhat 



more than interorbital space A. midus p. 105. 



i. Aleposomus lividus Brauer. 



Aleposomus lividus Brauer, Deutsche Tiefsee-Exp., Tiefseefische 1906, p. 21. 



D. 1921; A. 1819; p - 78; V. 7. 



Height 4 1 /* 4 3 / 4 > head 3~ 3'/3> e Y e 3~ 3Vs> more than 

 double of interorbital space, snout i'/ 2 2 in eye. Gape of 

 mouth reaching the vertical through posterior margin of eye. 

 Intermaxilla, maxilla and mandible with small theeth. Origin 

 of dorsal nearly at the beginning of the last ! / 3 of the body, 

 in the vertical through the anus, somewhat before anal. Ven- 

 trals somewhat behind middle of body. Lateral line very 

 conspicuous; its pores on the top of papillae which are directed 

 backward. Scales underneath lateral line, circular in their 

 anterior part, with very broad opening, through which goes 

 the lateral canal ; hindpart of scales handle-shaped and laterally 

 deflected from the anterior part. Skin otherwise naked, divided 

 in regular areas, with scattered short black papillae. Blue 

 black with a violet hue, fins dark. Length 330 mm. [After 

 Brauer, not seen by us]. 



Habitat: West of Sumatra (768 1143 m.). 



