216 Mr. A. i^lcock on the Bathyhtal Fishes 



Family Pleuronectidse. 



SCIANECTES, Alcock. 

 Scianectes, Alcock, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, vol. Iviii. pt. ii. p. 284. 

 This genus was established to include two Indian species 

 {8c. lophoptera and Sc. macroijhthalmus), taken in 68 to 100 

 fathoms by the ' Investigator/ and represented at the time by 

 only three small specimens. The 'Investigator' has since 

 collected several fine specimens of Sc. macropkthalmus, from 

 the examination of which several errors in the original diag- 

 nosis have been detected. 



I beg now to amend that diagnosis and to place Scianectes 

 in what now appears to me to be its proper position, near 

 Lceops, Gthr. 



Cleft of the mouth narrow, the maxillary being less than a 

 third the length of the head, with the dentition much more 

 developed on the blind side. Vomerine teeth present. The 

 dorsal tin commences before the eye on the snout. Eyes on 

 the left side, close together. The rays of the vertical fins 

 simple, elongated, weak, and filamentous. Scales minute, 

 very deciduous. Lateral line with a curve above the pectoral. 

 Gill-membranes united at the throat. 



17. Scianectes macrophthalmus^ Alcock. 



Scianectes macrophthahnus, Alcock, J. A. S. B. vol. Iviii. pt. ii. p. 292, 

 pi. xvi. tig. 4 ; and Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. November 1889, p. 398. 



B. 6. D. 85-88. A. 68. L. lat. circ. 95. 



Body pyriform, very delicate, its height about 2^ in the 

 total without caudal. The length of the head is one third 

 of the same standard and rather less than its height. Snout 

 obtuse, about half as long as the eye. Eyes on the left side, 

 close together, separated by a salient decliving ridge, the 

 lower slightly in advance ; their major diameter about one 

 fourth the length of the head. Cleft of the mouth nearly 

 vertical ; length of the maxilla a little more than one fourth 

 that of the head ; the lower jaw projecting in repose. Villi- 

 form teeth in a band on the blind side of each jaw and in a 

 patch on the vomer. 



Gill-cleft very high ; the opercles thin and the branchio- 

 stegal rays prolonged : gill-membranes broadly united ; gill- 

 rakers distant, small, lanceolate. 



Scales minute, thin, smooth, deciduous. Lateral line 

 salient, curved above the pectoral, continued right along the 

 caudal fin. 



