126 
3 l/8; pectoral 1 7/S; ventral 2. 
Brilliant silvery white generally, ^ris silvery white. Fins pale or 
whitish, dorsal and caudal scarcely darker. 
40072 U.S.N.M. Messina. Florence Museum. Length 37 to 93 mm. 2 
examples. 
92242 U.S.N.M. Messina. Milan Museum. Length 97 to 108 mm. 2 
examples. 
1 example, U.S.N.M. Messina. Florence Museum. Length 65 mm. 
Microstoma oblitum FACCIOLA, Nat. Sciiliana, vol.6. No.9, 1887, p.196. Sea of 
Messina. 
Depth 6 l/4 to 6 3/5; head 3 l/5 to 3 l/4, width 2 2/5 to 2 3/4. Snout 
4 l/lO to 4 l/5 in head from snout tip; eye 3, greatly exceeds short snout or 
interorbital; maxillary reaches 3/4 to eye, largely concealed, length 4 l/2 to 
5 l/4 in head from snout tip; interorbital 4 to 4 l/4, nearly level. Gill 
rakers 6 ^ 12 (?), lanceolate, slender, little longer than gill filaments or 3 
in eye. 
Scales 38 (?) (pockets) in lateral line to caudal base and 11 more on latter; 
3 above, 3 below, 18 (?) predorsal. Scales very caducous, most all fallen 
except on caudal peduncle and caudal basally. 
D. I, 8, second ray 1 2/3 to 1 7/8 in total head, origin midway between eye 
center and caudal base; A. I, 5, first branched ray 2 2/3 to 2 3/4, origin at 
last third between dorsal origin and caudal base; caudal 1 l/3 to 1 l/3 in 
head, lobes pointed and fin forked; least depth of caudal peduncle 2 7/8 to 
3 l/4; pectoral 1 3/4 (?); ventral 2 l/5. 
