368 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



vol. 48. 



MELANOSTIGMA PAMMELAS Gilbert. 



The type of this species was secured by the Albatross at station 3202, 

 off Monterey Bay, California (not from the coast of southern Alaska, 

 as given by Jordan and Evermann). 1 The three other specimens men- 

 tioned in the original description were from station 3126, also in the 

 vicinity of Monterey. By the present collection, the range of the 

 species is extended from Monterey to the vicinity of San Diego. 



The 15 specimens secured vary widely in the amount of black pig- 

 ment which they develop. The lining membranes of the mouth, 

 gill-cavity, and body cavity are always jet black, and the anterior 

 part of the head is externally blackish in all specimens. But the 

 remaining parts vary from jet black through brownish black and 

 gray to translucent, those from the same dredge haul usually agreeing 

 in color. There is no evidence that this difference depends on the 

 nature of the bottom, as all the specimens have been taken from 

 green mud. But it is not improbable that this is a deep pelagic rather 

 than a bottom form. 



The fins were dissected out in one specimen, the dorsal containing 

 84 rays to middle of caudal, the anal 69 to middle of caudal, the pec- 

 toral 7 rays. 



The jaws contain typically an outer series of widely spaced canines, 

 but in some specimens these are much less developed, and may be 

 scarcely larger than those behind them. In such cases the teeth are 

 arranged in a band, rather than in a double series. The median tooth 

 of the vomerine series may be enlarged and canine-like, or it may be 

 no larger than the others. The extent to which the palatine series 

 develops is variable, the series consisting in some cases of a few teeth 

 at the extreme anterior end of the bone, in others extending farther 

 back. 



The minute size of the branchial opening sufficiently distinguishes 

 this genus from Bothrocara. 



List of stations. 



4378 

 4425 

 4427 

 4428 

 4435 

 4512 

 4513 

 4514 

 4540 

 4541 

 4543 



Off San Diego 



Near Santa Cruz Island. 



do 



do 



Santa Barbara Channel. 



Monterey Bay 



do 



.do. 

 .do. 

 .do. 

 .do. 



Fathoms. 



376- 



594 



1,084-1,100 



475- 



510 



764- 



891 



274- 



287 



334- 



530 



389- 



456 



394- 



524 



389- 



551 



381- 



633 



118- 



53 



i Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mas., p. 2491. 



