312 
Family ST0MIAI2DAE 
Body very low, elongate and tapering, compressed. Head oblong. u nout short,I 
rounded, -^e variably large or a tall, f r e.dvanced. .'ou.th very large, with dee; 
lateral cleft. Lower jaw and hyoid arch joined by membrane forming mouth floor. 
Pair of relatively short muscles connects mandibular symphysis with ceratohyals. 
Literal edge of upper jaw formed by maxillary, toothed. Teeth usually strong, 
unequal, some often fang lilce ot barbed. Long barbel at throat. Upercles imper' 
feet. Gill membranes hot united, free from isthmus. Ho pseudobranchiae. Bran- 
ohiostegals 12 to 17. Skeleton feebly ossified. Stomach coecal. ■ u o pyloric 
appendages. Eggs excluded through oviducts. Body naked or covered with thin 
(In) 
deciduous scales. Luminous organs/separated series; opercular, subocular or 
or postocular bodies may occur, or some between branchiostegal rays; on 
body complete double row of photophores from isthmus to caudal and shorter 
lateral row each side of less extent, ftorsal short or long, median or poster¬ 
ior, inserted before or behind ventrals. Anal long or short, like dorsal ends 
short space from caudal. Caudal forked, lobes often unequal. H ec torals low » 
or absent. Ventrals well developed to long, mostly postmedian. 
A large family of luminous deep sea fishes, remarkable chiefly for their 
enormous fangs and very distensible stomachs, which enable :hem to swallow 
fishes larger than themselves. They have recently been the subject of an ex¬ 
haustive study by Began and Trewavas, whose definitions arc largely accepted 
in this report. The barbel attached to the under surface of the head is the 
principal or an used pointing out specific distinctions, its extreme and 
varied modifications are almost endless, though functioning perhaps as sensory 
or tactile, or even as a lure. 
The following are larval ^orcns: 
