194 Transactions. — Zoology. 



Art. XX. — Notice of a new Fish. By Dr. Hector. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 26th June, 1880.] 



Anacanthine Gadoidei. — Fam. Lycodidce. 



Hypolycodes, gen. nov. 



Diagnoses from Lycodes. — Gill-openings wide; ventral fins equal in length 

 to the pectorals. 



Characters of genus. — Body elongate, much compressed, and terminating 

 in a tapering tip. Eyes large, lateral. Skin (in spirits) loose, with minute 

 imbedded scales. Lateral line distinct anteriorly, ascending from the oper- 

 culum close to the base of the dorsal, along which it is continued for half 

 the length and then fades. 



Dorsal and anal fins continuous ; caudal absent. First dorsal ray not 

 articulated. 



Ventrals jugular, close but not connected; equal in length to the pec- 

 torals, which are du'ectly over them in position. 



Gills, 4 ; branchiosteous rays, 5 ; pseudobranchia present, air-bladder, 

 pyloria cseca, and anal papillae absent. 



Teeth trenchant, conical, curved in single row, most numerous on 

 upper jaw. Teeth on vomer, palatmes, and pharyngeals. 



Tongue free, rounded, smooth. Mucous tubipores about the head. 

 Hypolycodes haastii, spec. nov. 

 D.150, A.120, P.17, V.5, L.L.116. 



The length of the head is one-eighth of the total length ; and the greatest 

 height, measured immediately behind the gills, is equal to one-tenth of 

 the length. The dorsal commences on the nape, and slightly in advance 

 of the position of the pectorals and ventrals. The vent and commencement 

 of the anal is not less than twice the length of the head from the snout. 

 Snout short, conical and rounded, expanded and projecting in front and 

 on the sides, but only slightly overhanging the lower jaw. 



Intermaxillary free, and attached by a membrane posteriorly to the 

 expanded maxillary, which branches back to the middle line of the eye. 

 Thirty-six teeth in the upper jaw, the second pair in front being slightly 

 larger. The teeth in the lower jaw are fewer in number, but of equal 

 size. The vomerine teeth are few and blunt, the palatine and pharyngeal 

 minute. A row of mucous pores below the orbit. The nostrils with short 

 tubular processes. Inside the mouth depends a membranous fold and a 

 mesial filament. The diameter of the eye is equal to one-third the length of 

 the head. The gill-covers are large, rounded below, meeting in the mesial line. 

 The membranes are not bound to the isthmus, so the gills open widely. 

 The superior angle of the suboperculum is strengthened by a spine. 



Total length, 7i inches. 



