128 " THETIS " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



BRACHIONICHTHYS, Bleeker. 



BRACHIONICHTHYS HIRSUTUS, Lacdpede. 



Lophius hirsutus, Lacep., Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat., iv., 1804, p. 202, 



_ pi. Iv., fig. 3. 

 Chironectes j^unctatzifi, Cuv., Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat., iii., 1817, 

 p. 434, pl. xviii., fig. 2. 



Station 57. 



The only example obtained is very young, less than 15 mm. in 

 length. It was taken from 54-59 fathoms off Wata Mooli. 



In his diagnosis and description, Giinther * gives as a generic 

 character, " Three dorsal spines, the two posterior of which are 

 connected by a membrane with each other and with the soft 

 dorsal." In our example the spines are unconnected with the 

 soft portion and so agree with Cuvier's figure and with Giinther's 

 condensed description of the species : " The anterior dorsal spine 

 is free, terminating in a small lobe ; the two others are joined 

 into one fin, separate from the soft dorsal." 



Our specimen is rather small for specific identification, but on 

 account of the character above mentioned, together with the 

 roughened skin, it should be assigned to B. hirsutus and not to 

 B. loevis, Lacep., in which the dorsal spines and rays are connected 

 and the skin nearl}?^ smooth. Opinion is divided as to the position 

 of B. politus, Rich. 



The species here chronicled was taken at Twofold Bay in 150 

 fathoms by the "Challenger"; ours is thus the second example 

 known from the coast of New South Wales, where it appears to 

 be a deep water form and apparently breeding with us. It was 

 first described from Tasmania, which seems to be the head quarters 

 of the cjenus. 



Gunther— Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., iii., 1861, pp. 178 and 182. 



