2106 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



young, some or all becoming angular or bluntly arrow-shaped in tlie adult: 

 caudal fin well developed, rather broad. 



c. Dorsal fin divided by a deep notch, which separates the slender spines from 

 the soft rays. NEOLIPABIS, 784. 



cc. Dorsal fin continuous, the spines not separated from the soft rays. 



LIPARIS, 785. 



&6. Ventral disk more or less reduced in size or degraded in structure, becoming 

 anterior in position ; teeth simple or tricuspid only in the very young j ver- 

 tebrae numerous, 



*d. Caudal well developed; teeth slender, curved, in cardiform bands, the 

 inner longer, depressible ; ventral disk large ; skeleton very soft. 



BATHYPHASMA, 786. 



dd. Caudal fin slender, not distinct from other vertical fins ; teeth simple in 

 the adult; vertebrae numerous; dorsal rays 35 to 50; anal 33 to 46. 

 Anterior nostrils usually withoiit tubes; ventral disk very small, 

 nearly under the eye ; the vent close behind it. 



e. Pectoral fins with the lower lobe well developed; gill openings mod- 

 erate or small, not greatly reduced. CAEEPROCTUS, 787. 

 ee. Pectoral fins not notched, the lower lobe obsolete, the rays progress- 

 ively shortened ; gill openings reduced to a small pore. 



GrYRINICHTHYS, 788. 



AMITRIN^ : 

 aa. Ventral disk entirely wanting; no ventral fins; teeth mostly simple in -the adult; 



vertebrae and fin rays in large number. 



/. Pseudobranchiae present; lower lobe of pectoral produced. AMITRA, 789. 



ff. Pseudobranchiae wanting. 



g. Tip of snout without barbel. PARALIPARIS, 790. 



gg. Tip of snout with a pair of barbels ; snout projecting. 



EHINOLIPARIS, 791. 



784. NEOLIPARIS, Steindachner. 



Neoliparis, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitr.,m, 54, 1875 (mucosus). 



This genus differs from Liparis in having a deep notch in the dorsal fin 

 anteriorly, separating the spines from the soft rays. The species approach 

 more nearly to the Cottoid type, from which the Liparids are descended. 

 In general the vertebra) are fewer, the fin rays fewer, the ventral disk 

 larger, and the vertical fins better separated than in the more degenerate 

 members of the family. The retention of the notch between the dorsals 

 fully justifies the recognition of Neoliparis as a distinct genus, (reos, 

 new; Liparis.} 



a. Gill opening very narrow, almost entirely above base of pectoral, the lower edge not 



below third pectoral ray. 

 6. Anterior nostrils with distinct tubes. 



c. Dorsal spines in the male greatly elevated, not connected by membranes 



except at extreme base. 

 d. Dorsal rays about 25 ; anal 23 ; head small ; ventral disk small. 



ATLANTICUS, 2442. 



dd. Dorsalrays 26 ; anal 23 ; head larger ; ventral disk comparatively large. 



RUTTERI, 2443. 



cc. Dorsal spines not especially elevated; dorsal rays 34 to 36; anal rays 25 to 

 28; lower jaw included; form rather elongate, the head depressed; 

 ventral disk 2-J in head. Color pale, irregularly dotted with darker, 

 sometimes plain brownish. CALLYODON, 2444. 



