PHUCOCCETES SUSPECTUS. 137 



Phucocoetes suspectus sp. n. 



I'latc XXX. ji<j. 3, Sa. 



Br. r. 6 ; D. 103 ; A. 85 ; V. 2 ; P. 17 ; C. 10. 



Like most of the Ljcodes this one has the head and body compressed 

 and elongate much as in' the cases of certain eels. Head short, about 

 one sixth of the total length, nearly as wide as high, flattened on the 

 crown; cheeks a trifle swollen; snout short, broad, blunt. Mouth wide; 

 maxillary subtending half of eye, or a little more. Eyes medium in 

 size, two thirds as long- as the snout, less than the interorbital space, 

 rising slightly above the superior outline of the top of the head. Chin 

 prominent ; jaws equal. Teeth small, conical ; a band of several rows 

 on the lower jaws, a single row on intermaxillary or palatine, and 

 apparently but one tooth at each side of the vomer. The palatine teeth 

 are the stronger. Gill opening medium, extending downward to the 

 lower edge of the base of the pectoral fin. Distance from snout to vent 

 equal to twice the length of the head. Pectorals short, wide, half as 

 long as the head. Yentrals little more than half as long as the eye, 

 with two rays, smaller than those of Phucocoetes htitans. Dorsal and anal 

 long, low, not distinct from the caudal; dorsal origin above the base of 

 the pectoial ; anal origin distant from the chin twice the length of the 

 head. Caudal short, subacute, rounded. Lateral line rudimentary. Mu- 

 cous pores on the face small, not prolonged in tubes ; mucous chambers 

 apparent in the bones of the lower jaws. Scales small, separate, absent 

 from head, fins, and a space near the bases of dorsal and anal anteriorly ; 

 posteriorly they reach the base of the fin in the hinder third of the total 

 length. 



Blackish ; somewhat lighter on the upper surface and liackward. 



This fish differs considerably from the typical Lycodes with narrow 

 interorbital space shorter lower jaw and thick lips, as will be seen from 

 the figure. There is some resemblance to Phucocoetes htitans of Jenyns, 

 though differing in the strong teeth, canines, and prominent tubes of that 

 species. It may be the best place for the new species is by the side of 

 P. latlfans, of which a short description is here given for comparison. 



station. Latitude. Longitude. Depth. Temperature. Bottom. 



3418 16° 33' N. 99° ai' 3U" VV. 660 fathoms 39° F. Br. S. bk. Sp. 



