20 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.76 



slightly curved series, with the upper organ somewhat below the 

 end of the lateral line. 



The luminous scales are difficult to make out, but it is obvious that 

 the infracaudal scales have occupied considerably more than one- 

 third of the length of the caudal peduncle, as claimed by Gilbert 

 1895, probably more nearly two-thirds of the same. The supra- 

 caudal series, however, has scarcely been more than half the length 

 of the infracaudal series, thus conforming with Gilbert's statement. 



The various published records of the species are of highly ques- 

 tionable taxonomic validity. 



LAMPANYCTUS MACDONALDI Goode and Bean, 1895 



Nannobrachium macdonaldi Goode and Bean, 1895; Jordan and Evek- 

 MANN, 1896. 



Material investigated. Type specimen No. 39478, U.S.N.M. 

 Northwestern Atlantic. 



The above type specimen is in most respects quite concordant with 

 the redescription of Giinther's L. niffer^^ rendered by Brauer, 1906 

 (p. 242), and differs from the three new species L. ater, L. lineatus 

 and L. cuprariius introduced by Taaning, 1928 in having the VLO 

 inserted far below the lateral line. Brauer describes the VLO as 

 being situated "ein wenig " (a little, somewhat), below the lateral 

 line in the specimens examined by him, and his figure (1906, fig. 159), 

 shows its distance from the lateral line as only about one-third of 

 its distance from the base of ventral fin. In the type of L. mac- 

 donaldi the ratio between these two distances equals about 2:3. In 

 L. macdoTmldi the PLO is also inserted approximately midway be- 

 tween the lateral line and the base of pectoral fin, and the two PVO 

 are situated nearly vertically above each other; while in Brauer's 

 description and figure of L. niger the PLO is close to the lateral line 

 and the PVO are arranged in a very oblique series with the upper 

 organ well in advance of the lower. For these reasons the author 

 has felt justified in reestablishing L. mdcdonaldi Goode and Bean as 

 a separate species, and the following brief synopsis may serve for 

 its identification, as a supplement to point zz (p. 87), in the previ- 

 ously rendered key (Parr, 1928). 



V. YLO a little or far below the lateral line. 



n. I'LO near the lateral line. TYO in an oblique series, with the upper 

 photophore well in advance of the lower. YLO much nearer to lateral 

 line than to base of ventral fin. 



L. niger (Giinther) Brauer, 1906. 



21 The L. niaer recorded by Gilbert, 1905 (p. 591) and 1913 (p. 100), obviously is 

 identical with the L. ater described by Taaning, 1928, having the VLO immediately below 

 the lateral line and the flrst SAO above the interspace between second and third VO: 

 but on the other hand is not concordant with the redescription of L. niger rendered by 

 Brauer, 1906 (p. 242) [see Parr, 1928, pp. 87 and 104]. Fowler, 1928 (p. 68), merely 

 refern to Gilbert's descriptions. 



