igog.] R. B. Li^oyd : Deep-Sea Fish caught by the ''Investigator.'' 153 



One specimen, 70 cm. in length, from the Arabian Sea, Station 338, 839 fathoms. 

 Registered No. i\^i. 



Suborder Heteromi. 

 Family NOTACANTHID^. 



Notacanthus indiens, sp. nov. 



Illustr. Zool. "Investigator/' Fishes, plate xlv, fig. 8 (1909). 



B. 12, D. xi, A. 14-105, V. iii 7, P. 12. 



The length of the head is three-fifths of the distance between the snout and 

 vent. The head is 4I- in the total length. The depth of the body at the ventrals 

 and pectorals is 7I in the total length. 



The snout is pointed, laterally compressed, and half as long again as the eye. 

 The diameter of the eye is 6| in the length of the head. The corner of the mouth lies 

 just behind a vertical through the anterior border of the eye. Just above the corner 

 of the mouth is a stout curved spine lying horizontally with the concavity downwards. 

 The nostrils lie in front of the middle of the eye and are slightly nearer the eye than the 

 end of the snout. The gill-covers are very large and form more than half the length 

 of the head : widely open behind and above, they are united below for less than half 

 their length. 



The lateral line is conspicuous ; it commences a short distance in front of the 

 upper angle of the gill-opening. Behind the head it occupies the highest quarter of 

 the body but descends gradually until it occupies the middle line of the tail. There 

 are eleven spines in the dorsal fin, they become gradually longer from the first to the 

 tenth ; the eleventh is a small spine. The distance of the first spine from the end of 

 snout is very nearly as long as the distance of the eleventh from the end of the tail. 

 The vent lies under the third dorsal spine. The first ventral spine lies immediately 

 behind the vent. The last ventral spine lies under the last dorsal. The ventral 

 spines increase in length from before backwards. 



The ventral fins contain three short spines and seven soft rays ; they are partially 

 joined together at the base. The pectorals reach to the b.ase of the ventrals and are 

 nearly as long as the postocular part of the head. They contain twelve soft rays. 

 The scales are cycloid, small, and cover the whole body and head. 



The premaxillge on either side bear twenty-five curved teeth arranged with great 

 regularity. The lower jaw contains forty-two teeth on either side. They are not so 

 curved nor are they arranged with such regularity as the premaxillary teeth. There 

 are forty-two similar teeth on the palatines, they evidently oppose the teeth of the 

 lower jaw. Stomach siphonal. Four large pyloric caeca. 



One specimen, 20 cm. in length. Colour dark brown. Arabian Sea, 512 fathoms. 

 Station 305. Registered No. iûi£_ 



