174 MR. J. ¥. JOHNSON ON NEW GENERA AND SPECIES [June 10, 
The dentition bears much resemblance to that of Aphanopus. In 
each jaw there is a single series of moderately strong teeth, which 
are pointed, compressed, and subtriangular ; those of the lower jaw 
are about thirteen in number on each side, and are rather larger than 
those of the upper jaw, where there are also thirteen on each side, 
in addition to three pairs of considerably larger teeth, which stand a 
little within the line of the others, near the fore end of the jaw. 
These teeth increase in size backwards, the last pair being about 
four-tenths of an inch long. 
All these are pointed and compressed, and have a slight double 
curvature. The three pairs stand opposite the second, third, and 
fourth pairs of teeth on the lower jaw. There are no teeth on the 
palatine bones or on the vomer. The tongue is smooth, narrow, 
and black like the pharynx and the inside of the gill-covers. 
The first dorsal fin commences at the nape in front of the root of 
the pectoral fins. It rises from a groove, is moderately high, and 
its spines are weak, distant, and grooved, but not tuberculated. It 
is rather higher behind than in front, and there is an interval equal 
to about one-fifth of the length of the head between it and the second 
dorsal, which is high in front, where it is subtriangular. The fourth 
and fifth rays are the longest. The last four or five rays are short 
and much branched, the last ray being elongated*. The anal fin is 
preceded by a stout broad two-edged spine, similar to that possessed 
by Aphanopus. This fin is opposite and similar in shape to the 
second dorsal. The first ray is weak, but appears to be a simple 
spine ; and the last ray is somewhat prolonged. The pectoral fins 
are pointed, and inserted below the middle of the height. The ven- 
tral fins are thoracic, being placed close together a little behind the 
pectoral fins ; they are small, being only equal to one-eleventh of the 
head, but consist of a spime, which is stout below and slender above, 
and four soft rays connected by membrane. The ray next to the 
spine is the longest. The caudal fin is well developed and deeply 
cleft ; its rays are very broad below. 
The unarmed lateral line falls gently from the shoulder to the 
middle of the body, whence it is horizontal to the caudal fin. The 
tail has no keel, and is not depressed behind the second dorsal. 
There is no barbel nor any prominent papilla near the vent. 
The body of the fish is uniformly lead-coloured, with black fins ; 
its skin, when the scales have been removed, is black. 
The peritoneum is black ; the stomach long and simple ; the in- 
testinal tube straight. There are about eight pyloric ceca, and a 
long narrow air-bladder with thin walls. 
Only a single specimen has occurred, and this was taken in the 
month of April last. It had a length of 363 inches, a height at the 
ventral fins of 258; inches, and a thickness at the same place of 
1,3,inch. Decidedly Trichiuroid as it is, it differs from all the genera 
* The membrane connecting the last four or five rays of the second dorsal and 
the last five or six rays of the anal fin is much torn in the specimen. In an older 
fish they might possibly form detached finlets, the structure of the rays bearing 
much resemblance to those of the finlets possessed by some Trichiuroid genera. 
