_M. purpurascenti-fusca; maculis circularibus, parvis, flavis: capite
et rostro valde compressis; fronte declivi: maxillis subelongatis,
angustis, æqualibus, acutis; dentibus acutis, in maxillâ superiore
anticis uni-lateralibus bi-seriatis; in inferiore anticis
bi-lateralibus uniseriatis; in vomere uniseriatis; anticis supra
subtusque, lateralibus secundariis supra, et vomerinis, fortibus:
pinnâ dorsali anticè obsoletâ._
LONG. unc. 20. lin. 6.
FORM.—Very much compressed about the head and jaws. Body tapering
posteriorly; the depth in the middle equalling about one-thirteenth
of the entire length. Head, measured to the branchial orifice, about
one-seventh. Profile falling obliquely in a straight line from the
nape to the extremity of the snout. Jaws very narrow, rather
lengthened and sharp-pointed, equal. Gape deeply cleft, reaching as
far back behind the eyes as it advances before them. Teeth
compressed at the sides, very sharp, slightly hooked and pointing
backwards; above, in a single row in front, in two rows at the
sides; below, in two rows in front, and in a single row at the
sides; in each case, however, the secondary row is very imperfect,
some of them appearing to have been lost; also a row down the vomer,
but interrupted in the middle of the series: the front teeth above
and below, and the secondary ones at the sides of the upper jaw, are
much stronger than the others; but the first three on the vomer,
being those anterior to the blank space, are perhaps longer and more
developed than any in the jaws. Two tubular orifices above the eyes,
and two at the extremity of the snout. Eyes distant from the end of
the snout twice their own diameter. Branchial orifice of the same
size as the eyes. Three or four large pores arranged in a line along
the edge of the upper jaw, but none apparent on the lower.
Dorsal fin thick and fleshy, and not very distinguishable from the
body, excepting posteriorly, so that its exact point of commencement
cannot be fixed with precision. Vent a trifle in advance of the
middle point of the entire length. Anal fin still less
distinguishable than the dorsal.
COLOUR.—“Fine dark purplish brown, with yellow circular spots.”—D.—The
spots are mostly small, and many of them not bigger than large pin’s
heads. They are smaller and more crowded about the head than
elsewhere, giving a freckled appearance.
A _second specimen_ is smaller than the above, measuring thirteen
inches and a half in length. This specimen has the teeth more
perfect. In the upper jaw, there is first an outer row reaching all
round, in which the teeth are mostly small and regular, but towards
the front mixed with some much longer ones; behind this, about the
middle of the sides, is a short secondary row consisting of five or
six teeth as long as those in front in the first row: in the lower
jaw, the secondary row consists likewise only of four or five long
teeth, but here they are placed in front instead of at the sides.
Mr. Darwin’s notes respecting the colours of this smaller specimen
are as follows: “Dark reddish-purple brown, with pale, or
whitish-brown spots: eyes bluish.”
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago.
The larger of the two specimens above described was taken by Mr. Darwin
at Charles Island, the smaller one in tidal pools at Chatham Island, in
the Galapagos Archipelago. It appears to be an undescribed species,
though bearing much similarity to the _M. Meleagris_ of Shaw.