curved canines, those of the maxilla subequal, much smaller, 

 closely set and directed backward. Vomer generally edentu- 

 lous. Palatines and tongue with a series of small pointed teeth. 

 Luminous organs : a large postorbital organ and smaller ones 

 on the opercle and between the branchiostegal rays; on each 

 side of the body a ventral series from isthmus to caudal, and 

 a more lateral series from gillopening to anal. Numerous small 

 organs between the longitudinal series and scattered over the 

 body. Four gills. No pseudobranchiae. Gillrakers minute. 



Synopsis of the species. 



I. 38 luminous organs in the lateral series. Eye 



more than 5^2, shorter than snout A. htcifer p. 116. 



H. Circa 50 luminous organs in the lateral series. 



Eye circa 3, about twice as long as snout. . . . A. chrysophckadion p. 117. 



i. Astronesthes lucifer Gilb. 



Astronesthes lucifer Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Fish. Comm. XXIII. 2. 1903 (1905), p. 605 

 Astronesthes htcifer Max Weber, Siboga-Exp. Fische, 1915, p. 13. 



Fig. 42. Astronesthes lucifer Gilb. 



D. ii; A. 19; P. 6; V. 7. 



Height about 6, head 4^5 4'/2> eye more than 5 f / 2 shorter 

 than snout. Barbel shorter than gape of mouth or longer than 

 head (Gilbert), with a dilated tip. Pectorals about i l /. 2 in 

 length of head. Ventrals about midway between anal and 

 praeopercle. Dorsal somewhat behind insertion of ventrals, 

 shorter but much higher than anal. Intermaxilla with 5 6 

 unequally placed unequal teeth, sometimes with a substitute 

 behind them. Maxilla with 11 13 (15 20 in the larger 

 specimen of Gilbert) subequal, pointed teeth, directed back- 

 ward. Mandible with 6 8 unequal teeth, the posterior placed 

 unequally and somewhat alternating, some of them with a 

 substitute; most of the intermaxillary and mandibulary teeth 



