2480 Bulletin 4.7, United States National Museum. 



of type 4 inches. Coast of southern Alaska. Three other specimens are at 

 hand from Albatross Station 3126 (lat. 36 49' 20" N., long. 122 12' 30" W.; 

 depth 456 fathoms). In the smallest, 2| inches long, the head and abdomen 

 are jet-black, but the rest of the body is only slightly dusky. (Gilbert.) 

 (itag, all; //e'Aars, black.) 



Melanostigma pammelas, GILBERT, Kept. U. S. Fish Corum. 1893 (1896), 472, pi. 35, coast 

 of southern Alaska, at Albatross Station 3202, lat. 36 46' 10" N., long. 121 58' 45" 

 W., in 382 fathoms. 



Family CCVII. DEREPODICHTHYID^E. 



Deep-sea fishes of slender body, scaleless, and without lateral line, 

 somewhat resembling the Zoflrcid?,but with each ventral tin reduced to a 

 slender, unbranched filament, the two very closely approximate, and spring- 

 ing from a common projecting base located far forward, below the eye. 

 Gill opening a narrow, vertical slit. Character otherwise given below. 

 A single species known ; apparently intermediate between the Zoarddce 

 and the Ophidiidce. 



945. DEREPODICHTHYS, Gilbert. 



Derepodichthys, GILBERT, Kept. IT. S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1886), 456 (alepidotus) . 



Body slender; no scales; no lateral line; ventral fins reduced each to a 

 slender, unbranched filament, the two very closely approximate, and spring- 

 ing from a common projecting base, which is located far forward below 

 the eye, as Ophidion. Gill opening a narrow, vertical slit, little wider than 

 base of pectorals. Teeth cardiform, curved, few in number, in narrow 

 bands or irregular single series on jaws, vorner, and palatines, (deprj, 

 throat; rtov$, foot; txQvc,, fish.) 



2845. DEBEPODICHTHYS ALEPIDOTUS, Gilbert. 



Head 8$ in total length; depth of head and body 2 in head; width of 

 head 22 in head ; distance from tip of snout to base of ventrals 2 in length of 

 head. Distance from tip of snout to front of dorsa!5 i in total length, from 

 tip of snout to vent 3| in total. Head and body very long and slender, the 

 former resembling a Lycodes in appearance, being moderately compressed, 

 with a flattish occiput and a gentle rounded decurved rostral profile. 

 Mouth slightly oblique, quite at lower side of snout ; the lower jaw shorter, 

 fitting within the upper; maxillary and premaxillary entirely concealed 

 within the thick skin of the upper lip, which is directly continuous with 

 that of the forehead, the upper jaw being therefore nonprotractile ; 

 angle of mouth under front of pupil, its distance from tip of snout 2| in 

 head. Teeth cardiform, curved, few in number, in narrow bands or irreg- 

 ular single series on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Eye small, not filling 

 the elongate orbit, the diameter of exposed portion of eyeball slightly 

 less than f length of snout, the latter 3 in head. A series of large 

 mucous pores on snout and lower part of cheeks; a second series on mandi- 

 ble ; no pores on boay. Gill slit vertical, not continued forward, its lower 

 end slightly above base of lower pectoral rays ; length of slit i length of 



