84 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
vent; height of fin equal to that of dorsal; both dorsal and anal become low on posterior part of tail; 
the membranes growing thick, passing into slight ridges and finally disappearing near tip of tail. 
A row of large mucous tubes passing over head in the depression behind eye; 6 conspicuous tubes 
on top of head, 4 being on the interorbital region, 2 on the snout; 4 tubes on upper lip; anterior ends 
of lateral lines connected by a curved row of tubes passing over occiput; about 125 tubes in lateral 
line, the posterior ones very small. 
Color gray, with a yellowish tint; a few brownish-black spots about as large as pupil thinly scat¬ 
tered above the lateral line, the mucous pores on anterior part of body edged with blackish; dorsal 
brownish black, with a broad marginal band of white, posterior part of fin without dark color; anal 
immaculate. 
One specimen 20 inches long, type, No. 51309, I ". S. Nat. Mus., Honolulu. Collector, Mr. K. L. 
Berndt. Named for Henry W. llensbaw, the well-known naturalist, now resident at Hilo, Hawaii, to 
whom we; are indebted for several rare specimens. 
The large Japanese eel described by Schlegel as Oph'isurus pnrphyrean has the lips fringed and should 
be referred to lirachysomopMs instead of Mystriophis. It may stand as Braekyaomophis})orphyreus. 
Jlrachysimophis hcnsham Jordan & Snyder, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XXVII, 1904, 940, Honolulu. 
Genus 51. MYRICHTHYS Girard. 
Teeth mostly blunt and molar; pectoral fins small; dorsal beginning on the head before gill¬ 
opening; otherwise essentially as in Ophichthus. Coloration variegated. Species numerous, found in 
most tropical seas, one known from the Hawaiian Islands, another from Johnston Island. 
Ophimrus Swainson, Class. Fish., II, 334,1839 (not of Lac5pe<le Ophichthus ). 
Myrichthys Girard, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1859, 58 ( tiffrinus ), 
a. Pectoral rounded; spots large, in 2 longitudinal series, 1 series above lateral line, the other on lateral line, the spots 
of the 2 series alternating with each other .,.. magnifieds, p. 84 
aa. Pectoral lunate; spots in 4 longitudinal series, 1 series above, 1 on, and 2 below lateral line . stypurus, p. 84 
39. Myrichthys magnificus (Abbott). 
Body cylindrical, tapering very gradually to tail, which terminates in a conico-acute horny point; 
head small, facial outline with an oblique curvature; snout rather obtuse, with upper jaw extending 
much beyond the lower, making the nasal teeth visible when mouth is closed; teeth all very small, 
conical, acute, 6 standing irregularly on disk of nasal bone; teeth upon palate, vomer, and mandible 
biserial, and placed very close to each other; dorsal inserted at the occiput, terminating before it 
reaches the horny extremity of tail; anal coterminal with dorsal; pectoral small, circular, with 20 
rays. 
Color in alcohol, pink, darkest upon back; color nearly lost upon belly, which is nearly white; 
at base of anterior nasal tubes 2 very small dark chocolate-brown semicircular spots, and behind 
these, anterior to orbits, 2 similar markings, lint larger anil deeper in color; commencing at the inser¬ 
tion of dorsal are 2 series of spots of chocolate-color, separated only by that fin, and, if viewed from 
above, having the appearance of transverse bands, though they are not directly opposite in every case; 
upon the sides is a single series of spots of the tints of the dorsal markings, two-thirds the width of 
side, measuring from base of dorsal to center of belly; upon the belly are 3 rows of small circular 
spots which are very irregular as to position. 
This description, modified from Dr. ('. C. Abbott, is based upon 2 specimens, the larger having a 
total length of 19 inches (8 inches from snout to anus, or 1.5 to gill-opening), collected in the Hawaiian 
Islands by Dr. J. K. Townsend in 1835. The species was not obtained by us. 
Pi snarl onojihis magnified Abbott, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1860, 476, Hawaiian Islands; Giinther, (’at., VIII, 55, 1S70 (after 
Abbott). 
Myrichthys magnified}?;, Fowler, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1900, 494, pi. XVIII, fig. 3 (from Abbott’s type). 
40. Myrichthys stypurus (Smith & Swain). Fig. 10. 
Head 5.3 in trunk; bead and trunk together slightly longer than tail, exceeding the latter by 
length of snout; snout blunt, 5.5 in head; eye 2.5 in snout, 3 in interorbital space; gape of mouth 
moderate, extending beyond eye, 3.5 in head; anterior nasal tubes turned downward, conspicuous; 
posterior nostrils large; teeth in lower jaw less blunt than in M. j>j slums Jordan Gilbert, in 2 
