melanitic

[Eng. melanit (e); -ic.] Relating to or in any way connected with melanite (q. v.). měl-an-o-, měl-an-, pref. [Gr. melas (gen it. melanos )=black.] (For def. see etym.) měl-an-ō-çe-tus, s. [Pref. melano-, and Gr. kētos a sea-monster, with reference to the extra or dinary shape of the species.] Ichthy.: A genus of acanthopterygian fishes, family Pediculati. Head and body compre ed; head very large, mouth exceedingly wide, vertical. Eyes very small. Skin smooth. The spinous dorsal reduced to a single filament on the head. Soft dor sal and anal short; no ventrals. Two species known from the Atlantic, Melano cet us bispinosus and M. johnson i i, at depths from 300 to 1,800 fathoms.