194 



FISH GALLERY. 



s erve to render the body less conspicuous (fig. 92). The Angler 

 grows to five feet in length ; two specimens of about that length, 

 and also a large skeleton, are shown elsewhere in the Gallery. 



Pig. 92. — Angler or Sea-devil, Lophius naresii. The branched processes of 

 skin are longer in this than in the British species, Lophius piscatorius. 



The Ceratiidas, represented by Dolopichthys allector in the 

 series of Deep-sea Fishes (Cabinet-case 44, specimen 972), may 

 be regarded as Angler-fishes modified in relation with a deep sea 

 habit. The skin is bare and black in colour ; the lure may 

 be luminous; pelvic fins are absent. The bones are thin and 

 light. 



The Antennariidae are strange-looking fishes occurring in 

 tropical seas and rarely descending below the surface. They are 

 sometimes called Frog-fishes because they creep along the rocks 

 like Frogs or Toads, the pectoral fins being geniculated or bent 

 after the manner of a knee-joint. Chaunax Rictus (896), a 

 reddish deep-sea fish, and Antennarius histrio (895) are shown. 

 The species of Antennarius are numerous, and most of them occur 

 in association with living corals, among which they lie effectively 

 concealed by reason of the similarity between the colour of their 

 skin and that of the coral. Some species (e. g. Antennarius 

 ■marmoratus) occur in mid-ocean among the Gulf-weed (Sar- 

 gassum). 



In the Malthidse the mouth is smaller than in most of the 

 Lophiiform fishes and opens downward rather than upward. The 



