22 Dr. A. Giinther on Deep-sea Fishes 



portion ; its length is rather more than one fourth of the total. 

 Protuberances formed by projecting portions of the cranium 

 occupy the upper and lateral surfaces of the head ; and, more 

 especially, one in front and another on each side of the snout 

 are very conspicuous. 



North-east of Australia (Stations 181 and 198), 2440 and 

 2150 fathoms. 



AphyonuS, g. n. Ophidiid. 



Head, body, and tapering tail strongly compressed, enve- 

 loped in a thin, scaleless, loose skin. Vent far behind the 

 pectoral. Snout swollen, projecting beyond the mouth, which 

 is wide. No teeth in the upper jaw ; small conical teeth in the 

 lower, pluriserial in front and uniserial on the side. Vomer 

 with a few rudimentary teeth ; palatine teeth. Nostrils close 

 together, small. No externally visible eye. Barbel none. 

 Ventrals reduced to simple filaments, placed close together 

 and near to the humeral symphysis. Gill-membranes not 

 united. Four branchial arches, the posterior without gill- 

 laminae J the anterior with very short gill-rakers and with 

 rather short gill-laminse. Head covered with a system of 

 wide muciferous channels and sinuses, the dermal bones being 

 almost membranaceous, whilst the others are in a semi cartilagi- 

 nous condition. Notochord persistent, but with a superficial 

 indication of the vertebral segments (as in some Leptocepha- 

 line forms) . 



Aphyonus gelatinosus. 



The head, in the preserved specimen, is compressed, rather 

 deep, and enveloped in loose skin ; especially on the upper- 

 side of its anterior half the skin forms a large loose bag, which 

 during life is probably filled and distended with mucus. 

 Transparent, colourless, like a LeptocepJialus. 



Deep sea between North-eastern Australia and New Guinea 

 (Station 184), 1400 fathoms. 



AcANTHONUS, g. n. Ophidiid. 



Head large and thick, armed in front and on the opercles 

 with strong spines ; trunk very short, the vent being below 

 the pectoral ; tail thin, strongly compressed, tapering, without 

 caudal. Eye small. Mouth very wide, with the teeth in 

 villiform bands in the jaws, on the vomer and palatine bones, 

 and along the hyoid. Barbel none. Ventrals reduced to 

 simple filaments, placed close together on the humeral sym- 

 physis. Gill-membranes not united. The gill-laminge are 



