174 MR. J. Y. 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 gi'ooved, but not tuber culated. 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 spine, 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 cseca, 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 36^ inches, a height at the 

 ventral fins of 2^-^ inches, and a thickness at the same place of 

 \^^ inch. Decidedly Trichiuroid as it is, it diflPers 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. 



