Cottunculus torvus, Goode

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 : 212-213

30. Cottunculus torvus, Goode , new species.

Cottunculus torvus, Goode, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. , III. p. 479 (name only).

Diagnosis. - Head and body smooth, scaleless, covered with a tough lax skin. The length of the head is nearly one third of the extreme length of the body including the caudal; its greatest height, one fourth of the body without the caudal. The greatest width of the head is twice the length of the maxilla. The distance of the vent from the insertion of the anal equals the length of the maxilla. The eye is close to the dorsal profile. The length of the orbit is about equal to that of the snout, and is contained about four and a half times in the greatest length of the head. The intermaxillary is long and slender, its length contained slightly more than three times in the distance from the tip of the snout to the insertion of the tirst dorsal (three and one third times in the length of the head). The maxilla is very slender, except in its posterior third, where it is considerably expanded. The mandible is very stout, posteriorly widened, its length contained nearly two and one third times in that of the head. Teeth in broad villiform bands on the intermaxillary and the mandible. Two short separate similar bands on the vomer. None on the palatines.

Head armed with blunt spines, as in C. microps .

The distance of the dorsal from the tip of the snout is nearly equal to one third of the total length, caudal included. It consists of six spines and seventeen rays.

The anal fin is located midway between the tip of the snout and the end of the caudal fin ; it consists of thirteen rays.

The length of the upper pectoral rays is equal to that of the postorbital portions of the head. The pectoral rays diminish rapidly in size, the lowest being exceedingly short. The number of rays is twenty-two. The distance of the ventral from the tip of the snout is one third of the total length without the caudal. The length of the free portion of the ventral equals that of the eye The fm consists of one spine and three rays.

The caudal consists of ten developed rays.

Color light brown, the fins somewhat darker.

This species was first noticed in the Fish Commission collections of 1880, and was mentioned by name in a paper published in that year by Mr. Goode. No description accompanied this name, and the author of it has no excuse to offer for following a practice which is so pernicious and indefensible.

Specimens were obtained as follows : -