BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF WOODS HOLE AND VICINITY. 



767 



Family MALACANTHID^E. 



Lopholatilus chamceleonticeps Goode & Bean. a 

 Tilefish. 



Collins, 1884; Goode, 18843, p. 360; Bean, 1884; 

 Goode and Bean, 1895, P- 2 ^4; Jordan and 

 Evermann, 1898, p. 2278; Bumpus, 1899; Lin- 

 ton, 1901, p. 471. 



Southeast of No Mans Land on border of Gulf 

 Stream, where it was originally discovered in 

 1879. Common at depths of 80 to 250 fath- 

 oms. Goode. Abundant before 1882, in the 

 March and April of which year over a billion, 

 according to estimate, died as a result of unu- 

 sual temperature conditions. Not taken again 

 until 1892, after which time they apparently 

 began to be more abundant. Taken on trawl 

 lines. 



Spawns in July. 



Food: Preeminently a crab-eater, the intestines 

 being sometimes filled with these; also found 

 to have eaten squid, spiny dogfish (Squalus 

 acanthias) , menhaden, and other fish, Salpse, 

 mollusks, annelids, holothurians, actinians. 

 Linton. 



Parasites (Linton): Acanthocephala Echino- 

 rhynchus sp. Immature nematodes. Ces- 

 todes Scolex polymorphus (larvae), Tetra- 

 rhynchus bisulcatus (cysts). Trematodes Dis- 

 tomum faccundum , D. ocreatum. 



A fair food fish, though no market for it has thus 

 far been developed. 



Family BATRACHOIDID^. 



Opsanus tau (Linnaeus). Toadfish. 



Verrill and Smith, 1873, p. 516 (Batrachus tau); 

 Baird, 1873 (Batrachus tau); Bean, 1884 (Ba- 

 trachus tau); Rider, 1886, p. 77 (Batrachus tau); 

 Clapp, 1891, p. 494 (Batrachus tau); H. M. 

 Smith, 1898, p. 105; Jordan and Evermann, 

 1898, p. 2315; Linton, 1901, p. 468; Kendall, 

 1908, p. 132. 



Common everywhere in shallow waters, under 

 stones and among weeds; a resident fish, taken 

 throughout the year. Ordinarily obtained with 

 the seine. 



Spawns in June. Reported to be spawning as 

 early as June 3, by Bumpus; as late as the mid- 

 dle of July by Ryder. In 1906 the spawning 

 period, so far as observed by Dr. J. T. Pat- 

 terson, extended from June 12 to June 25; the 

 young fish were found to break the capsule on 

 the 26th day after fertilization, and to become 



Opsanus tau Continued. 



entirely free on the 42d day. One or both 

 parents guard the eggs until hatched. Two 

 females were taken by Mr. Edwards in Decem- 

 ber having their ovaries filled with large, seem- 

 ingly mature eggs. We know of no other 

 evidence, however, that this fish spawns in 

 winter. 



Food: One specimen taken locally in July con- 

 tained Cancer irroratus. Verrill and Smith. 

 Mollusks (Littorina, Ilyanassa, Tritia, Urosal- 

 pinx, Crepidula, Pecten) Crustacea (Cancer, 

 Palccmonetes , Pagurus); bones and fragments 

 of fish, including other toadfish, found in 

 stomach. Linton. In order of frequency: 

 Pagurus longicarpus in Littorina shells, Cancer 

 irroratus, Panopeus depressus, Ovalipes, Pal- 

 <zmonetes, Crepidula, small fish (Fundulus, 

 Tautogolabrus, Menidia), teleost eggs. I. A. 

 Field. 



Parasites (Linton): Acanthocephala Echino- 

 rhynchus acus, E. clavaceps , E. fusiformis. 

 Nematodes Ascaris habena. Cestodes Rhyn- 

 chobothrium tumidulum (scolices), Scolex poly- 

 morphus (larvae). Trematodes Distomum 

 tenue, D. tornatum, D. -valdeinflatum, D. sp., 

 Monostomum vinal-edivardsii. 



Family PHOLIDID^;. 



Pholis gunnellus (Linnaeus). Gunnel, rock eel. 

 [Chart 206.] 



Storer, 1867 (Gunnelus mucronatus); Baird, 1873 

 (Muraenoides mucronatus); Bean, 1884 (Ahirce- 

 noides gunnellus); H. M Smith, 1898, p. 106; 

 Jordan and Evermann, 1898, p. 2419; Kendall, 

 1908, p. 132. 



Abundant along shores in early spring, when it 

 may be seined; at other times found only in 

 deeper water. Dredged by the Survey during 

 July and August in waters of 3 to 13 fathoms, 

 at scattered stations in Vineyard Sound; only 

 twice in Buzzards Bay. Young taken in tow 

 from April to July, chiefly in April. Towing 

 records of V. N. Edwards. 



Fish Hawk stations: 7524 bis (i), 7525 bis (i), 

 7553 (0. 7555 ( 2 ^> 755 6 (several), 7564 (3), 7573 

 (few), 7760 (i medium), 7762 (2), 7764 (i). 



Phalarope and Blue Wing stations: 21 (i), 24 (2), 



93. I2 3 (i)- 



Parasites: Acanthocephala (Linton) Echino- 

 rhynchus acus. Copepods (C. B. Wilson) Ar- 

 gulus laticauda. (Wilson lists this parasite for 

 "a blenny." Pholis is the only blenny taken 

 at all frequently in this region.) 



" This fish does not properly belong to the Woods Hole fauna, but has been included here on account oi its biological 

 interest. For history of our knowledge of the tilefish see Collins, 1884, and Bumpus, 1899. 



16269 Bull. 31, pt 2 13 15 



