. Text-fig. 1. Scopelarchus cavei. Holotype (x 1-3). Colour (in spirit). General body colour yellowish brown, the dorsal surface darker, with a fairly dense peppering of small melanophores covering the upper half of the flank-area above the lateral line. Immediately behind each eye is a black lunate area. Dorsal, anal, pelvic and caudal fins trans- parent or whitish. The pectoral fin is black, except for the two uppermost and five of the lowermost fin rays, which are whitish. Underlying the scales over the lower half of the abdomen is a layer of silvery pigment, which extends from the isthmus
. Text-fig. 1. Scopelarchus cavei. Holotype (x 1-3). Colour (in spirit). General body colour yellowish brown, the dorsal surface darker, with a fairly dense peppering of small melanophores covering the upper half of the flank-area above the lateral line. Immediately behind each eye is a black lunate area. Dorsal, anal, pelvic and caudal fins trans- parent or whitish. The pectoral fin is black, except for the two uppermost and five of the lowermost fin rays, which are whitish. Underlying the scales over the lower half of the abdomen is a layer of silvery pigment, which extends from the isthmus to the anus. (Is it possible that luminescent tissue may be associated with such a light-reflecting layer?) Above this silvery area, the black peritoneum of the body cavity shows through the body wall. This species is most closely related to Scopelarchus guentheri Alcock, but has fewer anal rays (21, cf. 26), fewer lateral-line scales (43, cf. c. 50) and these scales are not enlarged as in S. guentheri. Perhaps there is also a difference in the interorbital width, which in S. cavei is relatively broad, whereas in S. guentheri Alcock (1899) described the eyes as being separated by a 'mere linear space'. I have much pleasure in naming this species after A. J. E. Cave, Professor of Anatomy at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College. 1 In all counts of vertebral numbers the last, upturned, caudal element has been included.
Size: 4153px × 1204px
Photo credit: © The Bookworm Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, booksubjectocean, booksubjectscientificexpediti
