Coccia and Maurolicus are two other genera allied to the preceding.
Fig. 285.—Chauliodus sloanii.
Chauliodus.—Body elongate, compressed, covered with exceedingly thin and deciduous scales; series of luminous (phosphorescent) spots run along the lower side of the head, body, and tail. Head much compressed and elevated, with the bones thin, but ossified, and with the opercular portion very narrow, the interoperculum being rudimentary. Cleft of the mouth exceedingly wide, the intermaxillary forming one half of the upper jaw. Each intermaxillary with four long canine teeth; edge of the maxillary finely denticulated; mandible with pointed, widely set teeth, the anterior of which are exceedingly long; none of the large teeth are received within the mouth. Palatine with a single series of small pointed teeth; no teeth on the tongue. Eye of moderate size. Pectoral and ventral fins well developed. Dorsal fin anteriorly on the trunk, before the ventrals; adipose fin small, sometimes fimbriated; anal short, rather close to the caudal, which is forked. Gill-opening very wide, the outer branchial arch extending forward to behind the symphysis of the lower jaw; it has no gill-rakers. Branchiostegals numerous.
This genus, of which one species only (Ch. sloanii) is known, is generally distributed over the great depths of the oceans, and does not appear to be scarce; it attains to a length of 12 inches, and must be one of the most formidable fishes of prey of the deep-sea.
Allied genera are Gonostoma, Photichthys, and Diplophos, all of which have the teeth of much smaller size.
Fourteenth Family—Stomiatidæ.
Skin naked, or with exceedingly delicate scales; a hyoid barbel. Margin of the upper jaw formed by the intermaxillary and maxillary which are both toothed; opercular apparatus but little developed. Gill-opening very wide; pseudobranchiæ none. The eggs are enclosed in the sacs of the ovarium, and excluded by oviducts.
Deep-sea fishes, descending to the greatest depths, characterised by their barbel and their formidable dentition.
