:?C8 DR MURRAY ON THE DEEP AND SHALLOW-WATER MARINE FAUNA 



Macrurus Jilicauda,^ Giintlier. 



Melamphaes ^ crassiceps, Giinther. 

 * „ microps, Giinther. 



* Melanonus gracilis, Giintlier. 

 *Scop('lvs^ antarcticus, Giinther. 



Stomias boa (Risso). 



Sijnaphohranchus hathyhius, Giinther. 



The 272 species enumerated in the above list include one or two species of Medusai, 

 iSiphonophorse, Amphipoda, and Fishes undoubtedly belonging to the surface and inter- 

 mediate water fauna ; these might have been eliminated, but it has been considere'd best 

 to allow them to remain as they occur in the Challenger lists. With these exceptions, 

 however, all the above species live on or near the bottom beyond 1000 fathoms. 



The great majority of the species were each taken only at one of the eight Stations, 

 but a few occurred at more than one of these Stations. 



LIST I a. 



It may be of interest to give here a list of such species, indicating in brackets 

 the number of Stations at which each species was found. It will be noticed that out of 

 the 57 species occurring at more than one Station, not a single one occurred at all the 

 Stations, nor even at seven out of the eight Stations, while only 1 species occurred at 

 six Stations, 1 at five Stations, 2 species each at four Stations, 13 species each at three 

 Stations, and the remaining 40 species each at two Stations. This does not seem to 



occurring in individuals from tlie same locality, and affecting the form of the head, length of dorsal spine, &c. The; 

 most striking deviation from the typical form is a kind of albino, not quite white, but of a much lighter colour than 

 the ordinary specimens. In these albinos the scales are much thinner, the ridges sometimes scarcelj' visible, and if 

 developed, they are merely keels without spines. — (Gunther, Zool. Chall. Exp., part .57, p. 150.) 



1 This species [Macrurus filicauda] is clearly one of those in this family which extend to the greatest depths. 

 The decrease in the size of the eye, the very soft bones, the concomitant want of firmness in the structure of the scales, 

 and the tail, which tapers into a very fine filament, indicate its abyssal abode. The scales are nearly all gone in all the 

 specimens obtained. This species appears to be abundant in individuals, and has, like a true deep-sea fish, a wide 

 distribution. — (Gunther, Zool. Chall. Exp., part 57, p. 142.) 



^ The formation of the head, the black colour of the body, together with the circumstances attending the capture 

 of the three specimens first known, clearly indicate that the fishes of this genus [Melaniphaes] are inhaljitants of the 

 depths of the ocean. Lowe'.s two specimens were picked iip at the surface, near Madeira, evidently in an exhausted 

 condition ; whilst the specimen described by Lutken was found in the stomach of a dolphin. The discoveries by the 

 Challenger, and by the U.S.S. " Albatross," have proved the surmise of the bathybial nature of these fishes to be 

 correct.— (GiJNTHER, Zool. Chall. Exp., part 57, p. 26.) 



' The numerous species which I refer to this genus \_Scopelus\ are, as far as we know of their habits, nocturnal 

 pelagic surface fishes, which are frequently caught at night in the surface net, but disappear during the daytime, when 

 they evidently descend to a depth to which only a moderate amount of light penetrates. A few undoubtedly belong 

 to the bathybial fauna, but with regard to the other species, I consider it equally probable that they accidentally 

 entered the dredge during its ascent. Only a few specimens were captured in this manner, much fewer than of 

 Argyropelecus, a fact which is no doubt due to their greater activity, by which they are enabled to make their escape on 

 perceiving the approach of the net.— (Gunther, Zool. Chall. Exp., part 57, pp. 195-6.) 



