rays — 18 — 20 — is greater. This marked variability concerning the 

 number of rays in pectoral fins of congeneric species is also recorded 

 in living representatives of the Gonostomidae. For example, there may 



be 11 — 13 rays in Gonostoma elongatuvi 

 Giinther, and only 7 — 10 rays in 

 G. bathyphilufn (Vaillant), as reported 

 by Norman, 1930. 



Elements of the shoulder girdle 

 could not be distinguished owing to the 

 bad state of preservation of the 

 material. 



The ventral fins are excellently 

 preserved on several specimens. They 

 consist of 10 rays corresponding in 

 length to 6 — 8 precaudals; in some 

 individuals, the rays reach almost to 

 the beginning of the anal fin. The 

 ventral fins are placed below the last 

 rays of the dorsal fin (below the 22 — 

 23rd vertebra from the black). The 

 preventral area (Table 1) represents 

 56 — 60 percent of the body length — 

 exclusive of the caudal fin — except 

 that in specimen 46. Os., where it rep- 

 resents no more than 54 percent of the 

 body length and where the ventral fins 

 occur below the mid-part of the dorsal 

 fin. The dorsal fin, consisting of 10 — 

 11 rays, is best preserved in specimen No. 85 Os. It begins at 

 mid-body length or just beyond (above the 25th— 27th vertebra counting 

 from the back). The predorsal area is equal to 50—53 percent of the 

 body length (without the caudal fin). The base of this fin corre- 

 sponds to the length of about 5 precaudal vertebrae. The length of 

 the rays, as compared with the body depth at the beginning of this 

 fin, is as follows: the length of the first ray represents two-thirds of 

 the body depth, the second ray is nearly as long, the third and the 

 fourth rays have the greatest length, which exceeds the body depth by 

 about one third, while the next rays are gradually reduced. 



The interneuralia are weak, most satisfactorily preserved on spec- 

 imen No. 87 Os. It seems that, in front of the interneuralium whicli 

 supports the first ray, there is another free one, more obliquely placed 



Fig. 4. Idrissia carpathica 

 n. sp., ending of the ver- 

 tebral column (after spec- 

 imen No. 87 Os.) cax20. 



10 



