Nettastoma procerum, Goode, G. B. & Bean, T. H., 1883

Goode, G. B. & Bean, T. H., 1883, Reports on the results of dredging under the supervision of Alexander Agassiz, on the east coast of the United States, during the summer of 1880, by the U. S. coast survey steamer “ Blake, ” Commander J. R. Bartlett, U. S. N., commanding., Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College 10 (5), pp. 183-226 : 224

46. Nettastoma procerum , new species.

Two specimens of a species of Nettastoma were obtained at Station 325, Lat. 33° 35' 20", Long. 76°, at a depth of 047 fathoms. Another (mutilated), something over 190 mm. long, was taken at Station 327. The species is in many respects closely allied to the Nettastoma melanurum of the Mediterranean, but appears to differ from it in the greater length of the tail, the much smaller teeth, and in the presence of a filamentous nasal tip.

Description. - Body anguilliform, very elongate, compressed, - posteriorly greatly so, - and tapering to a very slender attenuate point. Its greatest height is contained nearly four times in the distance from the gill opening to the tip of the lower jaw, and equals half the length of the snout. Head slender, conical: jaws somewhat depressed: the upper jaw heavier and thicker, and projecting beyond the lower a distance equal to the diameter of the eye. Length of snout equals the distance from the posterior margin of the orbit to the gill opening: the cleft of the mouth extends far behind the eye to a distance equal to the diameter of the eye. On each side of the upper jaw, and in advance of the eye, are twelve pores; behind each eye are three pores, while on the median line, on the top of the upper jaw, are several pores posteriorly arranged in pairs, of which there are four, the ultimate pair being between the posterior nostrils. There is also a pair of pores upon the nape, connecting the postorbital rows, and seventeen on each side of the mandible. The mandibular series is continued by another series extending over the cheeks and nape. The snout is provided with a slender, filamentous tip, whose length is equal to twice the diameter of the eye. The tongue is apparently absent in the specimens examined by us. The teeth are arranged as in N. melanurum , but exceedingly small, and much less conspicuous than in the figures of Kaup and Risso.

Dorsal fin commences above the gill opening.

The anal fin is inserted under the 73d dorsal ray at a distance from the snout equal to 3$ times the length of the head. The tail is twice as long as the body with'the head included. The total length of the specimen is 727 millimeters, including the nasal tip, which measures 7 mm.

Lateral line highly specialized, with numerous pores, corresponding in general character to those upon the head, and arranged in a deep furrow, their distances apart being about the same as in the case of those upon the head. Height of dorsal and anal tins about equal to half the height of body.

Color apparently brownish; peritoneum black.