C h e il o b r a n c h u s d o r s a l is . R ic h a rd s o n .
C h . S p e c . C h . n ig r e s c e n ti- fu s c u s , l in e d m e d ia n á d o r sa li,
p in n i s q u e d o r s i e t a n i p a llid is .
R a d i i B r. 3 ; C . 9.
P la te X X X ., figs. 1— 5.
T h e S y n b r a n c h i h ith e r to d e s c r ib e d h a v e th e a n a l a p e r tu
re s itu a te d a t th e d is ta n c e o f m o re th a n tw o - th ird s o f th e
w h o le le n g th o f th e fish , firora th e e n d o f th e sn o u t ; c y lin d
r ic a l, o r ro u n d a n d s lig h tly ta p e r in g b o d ie s , c om p re s s ed
on ly a t th e ta il ; a sw e llin g h e a d ; a m o u th c le f t b e y o n d
th e e y e ; a n d th e y in h a b i t th e w a rm e r p a r ts o f th e o c e an .
W e h a v e n ow to d e s c r ib e a fish , p o s s e s s in g m a n y o f th e
te c h n ic a l c h a r a c te r s o f S y n b r a n c h u s , b u t w ith a h e a d
a lm o s t a s sm a ll a s L e p to c e p h a lu s , th e b o d y c om p re s s e d
th ro u g h o u t, a n d th e v e n t b e fo re th e m id d le . S u c h a diffe
re n c e in fo rm irom th a t o f th e ty p ic a l S y n b r a n c h i, c a n n
o t b u t b e a tte n d e d w ith som e d is s im ila rity in th e h a b its
o f th e fish , a n d s e em s to ju s tify th e im p o s itio n o f a n ew
g e n e r ic o r su b -g e n e r ic n am e , th o u g h fi-om th e w a n t o f a
su ffic ie n t n um b e r o f sp e c im e n s , 1 am u n a b le to d e s c rib e
th e a n a tom ic a l s tru c tu re w ith su ffic ien t fu ln e s s a n d c o r r e c tn
e s s . T h e te rm C h e ilo b ra n c h u s is d e riv e d from xeiAow,
la b r um in a m b i tu m d u co , a n d a n d h a s r e fe re n c e to
a sm a ll p e c u lia r ity in s tru c tu r e , w h ich we h a v e n o t o b s
e rv e d in th e S ijn b r a n c h i, v iz ., th e e x is te n c e o f a little
ro ll o r lip on th e h in d e r ed g e o f th e g ill-o p e n in g .
C h e il o b r a n c h u s .
F o rm a com p re ssa p o s tic e lin e a r i- la n c e o la ia .
C a p u t m in im u m ; ro s tro obtusiu.sculo, m a x i l l i s a q u a lih u s .
R a d ii b ra n c h io s te g i tr e s . A p e r tu r a b ra n c h ia rum u n ic a ,
m e d ia n a , stib g u t tu r e .
O s c u lum te rm in a le , r i c tu a n te oculos d e s in e n ti.
D e n ie s s u b u la t i a c u t i v e l o b tu s i, u n d s e r ie d isp o s iti.
P in n æ d o r s i e t a n i h um ile s , m em b r a n a c e a n o n r a d iis
s u s te n ta ta c um p i n n a c a u d a r a d ia ta coale sc ente s.
P i n n a p e c to r is n u l la .
L in e a la te r a lis poi-osa. P a p i l la g e n ita lis m in u ta (fig. 5).
S q u am æ m in im a v i x oculo a rm a to d ig n o s c e n d a .
I n te s t in a ca c o p á r v u lo m u n ita .
A ve rj’ sm a ll h e a d , s lo p in g u pw a rd s from th e ro u n d e d
s n o u t, a tta in s a n e q u a l w id th a n d h e ig h t p o s te rio rly , b u t is
s till in fe rio r in b o th th e s e d im e n s io n s to th e fore p a r t o f
th e b o d y . T h e th ic k n e s s is g r e a te s t a t th e sh o u ld e r, from
w h e n c e i t d im in ish e s g r a d u a lly to th e e x tr em ity o f th e
ta il ; th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y in c r e a s e s to a little b e h in d
th e a n u s , w h e re i t e x c e e d s tw ic e th e th ic k n e s s o f th e same
p a r t. T h e h in d e r p a r t is lin e a r - la n c e o la te in p ro file , a n d
a c u te .
M o u th tei-minal, w ith e q u a l j aw s , a n d a v e ry sm a ll g a p e ,
n o t e x te n d in g so fa r b a c k a s th e ey e . T h e u p p e r j aw is ,
p e rh a p s , s om ew h a t p ro tr a c tile , b u t th is c o u ld n o t b e c le a rly
m a d e o u t. A s in g le row o f te e th ru n s ro u n d e a c h jaw ;
e ig h t o n e a c h lim b . I n v e ry y o u n g sp e c im e n s th e y a re
s u b u la te , a n d in c u rv e d a t th e tip s , b u t in th e la rg e s t, w h ich
i s th e o n e th a t is fig u re d , th e y a re o b tu s e , a n d n e a r ly c y lin
d r ic a l. T h e y a re co v e red b y th e r a th e r lo o s e , b u t n o t
tum id lip s .
T h e n o s tr ils a re c lo s e a b o v e th e tum id , la te r a l ey e s ;
o n e im m e d ia te ly ov e r th e c e n tr e o f th e o rb it, a n d th e o th e r,
w h ic h h a s a tu b u la r orific e , ov e r th e a n te r io r an g le o f th e
eye.
T h e g ill-o p e n in g is a sm a ll tra n sv e rs e s lit o n th e m id d le
o f th e th ro a t, a n d d i s t a n t from th e tip o f th e low e r jaw ,
e x a c tly a te n th o f th e e n tir e ' le n g th o f th e fish. T h e r e is
n o d iv is io n in th e o p e n in g , a n d th r e e s le n d e r g ill-ra y s
s u p p o r t th e m em b ra n e o n e a c h s id e . A tra n sv e rs e lip ,
w h ich ris e s a b o v e th e a d jo in in g in te g um e n t, a n d h a s its
o u te r e n d s free, forms th e p o s te r io r ed g e o f th e o rific e , a n d
a p p e a r s to b e c a p a b le o f c lo s in g i t v e ry c om p le te ly , w hen
th e in f le c te d e d g e o f th e m em b ra n e is p r e s s e d a g a in s t it. A
little m o re th a n a th i rd o f th e wh o le le n g th o f th e fish is
a n te r io r to th e an u s . T h e d o rs a l a n d a n a l fins sh ow more
c o n sp ic u o u s ly , from b e in g m u c h p a le r th a n th e r e s t of th e
fin. T h e a n a l r e a c h e s from th e v e n t to th e tip o f th e c a u d a l,
a n d is b ro a d e s t a t a b o u t tw o - lh ird s o f its le n g th from th e
v en t. T h e d o r s a l is a lso h ig h e s t in th e sam e q u a r te r , b u t
s in k s to th e lev e l o f th e b a c k b e fo re i t com e s o p p o s ite to
th e an u s , th o u g h a p a le s tr ip e is c o n tin u e d from i t a lo n g
th e m id d le o f th e b a c k to th e h e a d . N o t a v e s tig e o f a ray
c a n b e d is c o v e re d in th e s e fin s , n o r d id I , in m a k in g th e sk e le
to n o f a sm a ll sp e c im e n , o b s e rv e a n y tr a c e s o f in te rsp in o u s
b o n e s , e x c e p t a s in g le , fla t, triangular- o n e a t th e lip o f th e
ta il. T h i s su p p o r ts n in e jo in t e d ra y s , w h ic h a r e n o t
b ra n c h e d . T h e u n ite d c a u d a l, d o r s a l, a n d a n a l, fo rm an
a c u te tip to th e ta il.
A s tr a ig h t fu rrow r u n i from th e h e a d to th e b a s e of th e
c a u d a l, c o in c id e n t w ith th e sp in e , a n d p a le lin e s s lo p in g
b a c kw a rd s , a s c e n d a n d d e s c e n d from i t to th e m a rg in s o f
th e b o d y , b e in g a p p a r e n tly th e te n d in o u s d iv is io n s o f th e
m u s c le s , a s in L e p to c e p h a lu s , th e b o d y b e in g o th e rw is e o f
an u n ifo rm ly d a rk liv e r-b row n c o lo u r in th e sp e c im en s ,
w h ic h h a v e b e e n k e p t in s p ir its . T h e fin s a re o f a m u c h
p a le r b row n . I h a v e n o t b e e n a b le to m ak e o u t sc a le s
s a tis fa c to rily , w ith a m ic ro s c o p e o f c o n s id e ra b le powe r, b u t
w ith a s in g le le n s , o f h a l f a n in c h fo cu s , th e sk in is seen
to b e c lo s e ly s tu d d e d with little ro u n d p its , w h ich , from
th e way th a t th e y re f le c t p r ism a tic ra y s o f lig h t, a re m o s t
p ro b a b ly fo rm e d b y d e p r e s s e d , b u t e x tr em e ly m in u te
s c a le s .
T h e sk e le to n o f a sm a ll s p e c im e n c o n ta in s se v e n ty -
th r e e v e rte b ræ , o f w h ic h tw en ty -o n e a re a b d om in a l. T h e
s u p e r io r sp in o u s p ro c e s s e s in c r e a s e v e ry g r a d u a lly in
le n g th from th e h e a d to h a l f w ay b e tw e e n th e v e n t a n d th e
e n d o f th e ta il, w h e re th e y a re ta lle s t, a fte r w h ic h th ey
d im in ish , g iv in g th e la n c e o la te fo rm to th e ta il. T h e la s t
v e rte b ra , sm a ll a n d c o n ic a l, tu rn s u p a l ittle a t its Up, to
w h ic h a n o b c u n e a te in te r s p in o u s b o n e is a tta c h e d , fo r th e
s u p p o r t o f th e c a u d a l ray s . T h e u n d e r sp in o u s p ro c e s s e s
p o s te r io r to th e v e n t a re s im ila r to th e u p p e r ones. E a c h
o f th e a b d om in a l vertebrae h a s tw o tra n sv e rs e p ro c e s s e s ,
w h ic h d im in ish in le n g th a s th e y r e c ed e from th e h e a d ,
a n d a ll th e v e rtebra e h a v e a s h o r t a c u te p ro c e s s in c lin in g
fo rw a rd s from th e u p p e r an te rio r p a r t o f th e ir b o d ie s be fore
th e o rig in o f th e u p p e r sp in o u s p ro c e s s e s . T h e ve rteb ræ
a re o f th e u s u a l h o u r -g la s s sh a p e , a n d a re fully ossified.
N o in te r sp in o u s b o n e s we re d is c o v e re d , e x c e p t th e c a u d a l
one. T h e e x am in a tio n o f th e in te s tin e s was n o t s a tis fa c -
lo rv b u t th e in te s tin a l c a n a l a p p e a r e d to b e s tr a ig h t, wntl,
a sw .n a c h a l d ila ta tio n , a n d a sm a ll o b tu s e omcuni is su in g
from th e u p p e r th ird o r fo u rth o f th e c a n a l. T h e o n fic o
o f th e a n u s is w r in t l e d a n te r io r ly , a n d h a s a m m u te
p a p illa o n its h in d e r b o rd e r.
3-50 in d ie s.
1-38 „
0-35 „
DIMENSIONS.
Length from end of snout to tip o f ta il ...........
” ” gill-opcning ....
Some sp e c im e n s d o n o t m e a su re ab o v e h a l t th is le n g th .
H ab. N o rlh -w e s t c o a s t o f AusU-alia.
C h e il o b r a n c h u s a p t e n o d y t u m . R ic h a rd so n .
C h . S p e c . Ch. concolor.
R a d i i : — C . 7 .
T h is sp e c ie s p o s s e s s e s m u c h in te r e s t, from its h ig h
so u th e rn h a b ita t, h a v in g b e e n fo u n d a b o v e h ig h -w a te r
m a rk on P e n g u in Is la n d , in s e v e n ty -tw o d e g re e s o f S o u th
la titu d e . I t h a s a n u n ifo rm p a le re d d ish -b row n c o lo u r,
a n d its tru e tin t m ay b e , p e rh a p s , c h a n g e d , b y th e a c tio n
o f th e d u n g o f th e P e n g u in s . I t is , h ow ev e r, in a ve ry
p e rfe c t s ta te , a n d d o e s n o t a p p e a r to h av e b e e n su bm itte d
to th e p ro c e s s o f d ig e s tio n in th e s tom a c h o f a n y o f th e se
birds. I t is ve ry s im ila r in fo rm to tb e p r e c e d in g sp e c ie s ,
a n d th e v e n t h a s th e sam e re la tiv e p o s itio n . T h e b o d y is,
h owever, le s s c om p re s s e d , a n d is h ig h e s t m idw a y b e tw e en
th e tip o f th e s n o u t a n d a n u s . T h e u p p e r p ro file slo p e s
g rad u a lly from th e n c e to th e e n d o f th e sn o u t, th e lo p o f
th e h e a d b e in g b ro a d ish , a n d fla tly ro u n d e d . B o th th e
b a c k a n d b e lly a re m o re o b tu s e th a n in th e p r e c e d in g s p e c
ie s, p a r tic u la r ly th e b e lly , w hose th ic k n e s s e x c e e d s h a lf
th e h e ig h t, T h e n o s tr ils a re s itu a te d a s d e s c r ib e d above ,
a n d th e o p e n in g , w h ich is o v e r th e an g le o f th e ey e , h a s a
ta b u la r lip .
T h e g ill-o p e n in g is m o re d is ta n t from th e s n o u t th a n in
th e p re c e d in g sp e c ie s , a n d h a s a c r e s c e n tic form, with th e
cu rv e forwards. I t s h in d e r lip a p p ro a c h e s to th e h e a d o f
a n arrow in form, its free e n d s fo rm in g th e b a rb s . A th in
fold o f th e g ill-n icm b ran e f its c lo s e ly w ith in , so a s to close
th e orifice p e rfe c tly .
T h e little p i t s o r s c a le s a re m o re re a d ily se e n in th is
th a n in th e o th e r, b e in g e a s ily d is c o v e re d b y a id o f a le n s
w ith a n in c h focus. T h e te e th , d isp o s e d in a s in g le row,
a re Ivnnc a led, a n d som ew h a t c om p re s s e d o r in c iso r ia l, a n d
a velum s])re ads ov e r th e ro o f o f th e m o u th , from b e h in d
tb e u p p e r ones.
d im e n s io n s .
L ength from end of sn o u t to tip o f tail ................... .
„ „ gill-opening...................
H eig h t of body ...................................................................
1-54 iiielies.
0-98 „
0-29 „
0-28 „
P r y m n o t h o n u s h o o k e r i . R ic h a rd so n .
P la te X X X ., figs. 6, 7.
T h e figure h e r e in tro d u c e d is c o p ie d from a p e n c il d r aw in
g (No. 217) b y D r. H o o k e r , a n d we c a n g iv e little m o re
in fo rm a tio n th a n th e s k e tc h co n v ey s , th e n o te s m a d e a t th e
tim e b y D r. H o o k e r h a v in g b e e n m is la id . T h e sp e c im e n
m e a su r e d a n in c h a n d a q u a r te r in le n g th , b u t it h a s p e r
is h e d , n o t h a v in g b e e n found in th e co lle c tio n . I t is e v id
e n tly a M u ræ n o id fish , c lo s e ly a llie d to th e C o n g e r s , b u t
is rem a rk a b le in th a t fam ily for th e s h o rtn e s s o f th e b e lly ,
th e v e n t b e in g o n ly a fo u rth o f th e whole le n g th d is ta n t
from th e s n o u t. T h e g ill-o p e n in g s a re la te r a l, b u t th e ir
p o s itio n w ill b e u n u s u a l, i f th e o b lo n g w hile m a rk b e fo re
a n d b e low th em h e m e a n t to r e p r e s e n t a p e c to r a l fin. It
s e em s to b e p la c e d too fa r fo rw a rd fo r th a t m em b e r. T h e
g en e ric n am e is d e riv e d from th e b a c kw a rd p o s itio n o f th e
d o rs a l, from rrpuiMa, p u p p is , a n d oôovn, v e lum , i . e. m iz en -
sa il. T h e c a u d a l a n d p a r t o f th e a n a l a re m a rk e d a s
r a y e d , a n d a n o te s u b jo in e d to th e d raw in g , s ta te s th a t
r a y s were n o t p e r c e p tib le in o th e r p a r ts o f th e fins. I t
w o u ld b e unwise to a ttem p t d raw in g u p a g e n e r ic c h a r a c te
r, w ith o u t fu r th e r in fo rm a tio n , b u t i t a p p e a r e d a d v is a b le
to g iv e th e fig u re a n am e , for th e s a k e o f r e fe ren c e . S e v e r
a l o th e r v a ria tio n s in th e d is tr ib u tio n s o f th e fin s o f th e
M u r a n id a h a v e b e e n p u b lis h e d s in c e th e a p p e a r a n c e o f
C u v ie r’s a rr a n g em e n t o f th e family in th e R è g n e A n im a l,
am o n g th e m o s t rem a rk a b le o f w h ic h ai-e th e R a ta ib o u r a
o f G r a y , in H a rdw ic k e ’s ‘ Illu s tr a tio n s o f I n d ia n Z o o lo g y ,’
a n d th e U r a p te r a o f R ü p p e ll [N e u e W irb le th ie r e ).
L e p t o c e p h a l u s a l t u s . R ic h a rd s o n .
P la te X X X ., figs. 8 - 1 0 .
T h is fig u re is in th e sam e p r e d ic am e n t with th e la s t-
m e n tio n e d , th e sp e c im e n n o t h a v in g b e e n fo u n d in th e
co lle c tio n . T h e r e c an b e n o d o u b t a b o u t tb e g e n u s , I
tliin k , th o u g h th e s p e c ie s d iffe rs from th e E u ro p e a n o n e ,
in th e g r e a te r d e p th o f its b o d y , a n d th e v e ry b a c kw a rd
p o s itio n o f its v e n t. 'W h e n tb e fish was c a u g h t, i t was
tr a n s p a r e n t, so th a t th e co u rs e o f th e in te s tin e a lo n g th e
u n d e r ed g e o f th e b o d y c o u ld b e r e a d ily s e e n , a n d a s to m
a c h a l d ila ta tio n was p e rc e iv e d a t a b o u t a s ix th o f th e
w h o le le n g th b e h in d th e h e a d ; b u t a s so o n a s i t w a s p u t
in s p ir its i t c h a n g e d th ro u g h o u t in to o p a k e w h ite , a n d
ro lle d in to a b a ll. A n o th e r sp e c ie s o f th e sam e re la tiv e
h e ig h t with L e p lo c e p h a lu s m o r is ii w a s t a k e n b y th e E x p e d
itio n to th e N o r th o f S t. H e le n a ; a n d C u v ie r m e n tio n s , in
th e R èg n e A n im a l, th a t h e is a c q u a in te d w ith sev e ra l
sp e c ie s from th e tro p ic a l s e a s , b u t we a re n o t aw a re o f
fig u re s h a v in g b e e n p u b lis h e d o f a n y b u t th e E u ro p e a n
o n e , w h ic h is coinnioii to th e E n g lis h C h a n n e l ancl to th e
M e d ite rra n e a n . W e re c e iv e d a sp e c im en o f i t from th e
tem p o ra ry v o lc a n ic is la n d o ff S ic ily , n am e d G r a h am ’s
I s la n d , o n wh ich it w a s fo u n d d e ad .
H a b . Dr. H o o k e r ’s d r aw in g is numbei-ed 166, a n d d a te d
A p ril 11, b u t n e ith e r th e y e a r n o r lo c a lity a re n o te d .