1862.] OF FISHES FROM MADEIRA. 1/1 



Order ANACANTHINI, Miill. 



Fam. Gadid^. 



L^MONEMA, Giinther, MS. 



The genus Lcemonema, established by Dr. A. Giinther on a Me- 

 diterranean fish hitherto assigned to Phycis, is distinguished from 

 the latter genus by the shortness of the base of the first dorsal fin, 

 and by the rounded outline of the patch of vomerine teeth. A full 

 diagnosis of the genus will appear in the forthcoming fourth volume 

 of the 'Catalogue of Fishes in the British Museum.' A second 

 species of the genus having occurred, I proceed to describe it. 



L^MONEMA ROBUSTUM, Sp. n. 



1st D. 5. 2ndD. 50, 51. A. 48. V. 1 . P. 28. C. 16. 

 M. B. 7. Scales of lateral line about 126. 



Body Phycis-\\\Q, thick before, much compressed behind, of a 

 dull-brown colour ; the rays of the dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins 

 being of a dull-purplish red. The scales are very small ; between 

 the base of the first dorsal fin and the lateral line fifteen rows of 

 scales may be counted. The length of the head is equal to the height 

 of the body under the first dorsal fin, and, compared with the total 

 length of the fish, is as 1 to 4. It is depressed, unarmed, flat between 

 the eyes, with a longitudinal depression at the nape ; the snout short 

 and rounded ; the cheeks convex and scaly. The round eye is placed 

 high up, so as to take part in the profile ; it is contained four times 

 on the head, and is distant one and one- third of its diameter from 

 the tip of the snout ; the space between the eyes is equal to one 

 diameter. The nostrils are rather small ; at the posterior edge of 

 the anterior one there is a strap-shaped skinny appendage. The 

 mouth is wide, and when open the jaws form a broad oval ; its ante- 

 rior, as well as the tongue, is of a pale-grey colour. The upper 

 border of the mouth, is formed by the premaxillary ; the maxillary 

 is broad below, and reaches back to the vertical from the middle of 

 the eye ; the skin covering it is colourless, for when the mouth is 

 closed it slides underneath the skin covering the posterior bones. 

 The under jaw closes inside the upper one. There are scobinate 

 bands of conical teeth in both jaws, those of the outer rows being 

 rather larger. The band of the upper jaw is broader in front than 

 the band of the lower jaw, but it narrows behind. There is a small 

 round patch of similar teeth on the vomer, and also patches on the 

 pharyngeals; but the palatines and the tongue are unarmed. The 

 tongue is thick, broad, and pointed. 



The gill-openings are large. The edges of the opercle and pre- 

 opercle are rounded ; and the edge of the latter is distinctly visible, 

 not concealed by the skin. The chin carries a barbel. The first dorsal 

 fin is short, having only five rays, of which the first is elongate, its 

 upper part being setaceous ; the length of this ray to the total 

 length of the body is as 1 to 5:^. The interval between the two 

 dorsal fins is short. The second dorsal fin has its base about 1 6 times 

 longer than the base of the first, and its highest portion is less than 



