LYCODIN^. 



My manuscript was completed in early summer 1902, but the printing was delayed as, during 

 that Slimmer through the kindness of Dr. Johan Hjort, I got the opportunity to take part in 

 the investigations of the steamer -Michael Sars». An important collection of Lycodes was made 

 durino- the expedition and I was permitted to include this material in my work. For this friendliness 

 I would reque.st Dr. Hjort to accept my best thanks. 



Last but not least, to Mr. Th. Bloch my thanks are also due for the care with which he has 

 executed all the figures of the 10 plates as well as most of the drawings in the text. If one has 

 not made oneself familiar with the L>codes through several years study, an exact determination of the 

 species is often of great difficult}- (insurmountable in many cases for the young stages), and one is 

 frequently at a loss if descriptions only are given. I consider the n-iany figures in this treatise 

 to be of great value therefore, especially the series which illustrates the diverse appearances of certain 

 species according to age, sex and individual variation. 



Dr. H. M. Kvle has done me the favour of undertaking the translation into English. 



Introductory Remarks. 



Systematic. 



The first certain knowledge concerning the group of fishes here dealt with, dates from 1831 

 when J. Reinhardt sen. formed the genus Lycodes. With regard to the systematic position of this 

 new genus, the same author in 1838 expressed as his opinion that it was very closely allied to Zoayces 

 on account of the slight developoment of the ventral fins, the lack of a swimbladder, the formation of 

 the digestive organs, mode of fixation of the scales and the whole form of the body'). With regard to 

 the structure of the skeleton also, the two genera agree as was shown much later by W. Lilljeborg^j. 



It must be accepted therefore as perfect!}- correct when the American ichthyologists D. S. Jor- 

 dan & B. W. Evermauni) make the Lycodince a subdivision of the family Zoarcidce Swainson (1839), 

 characterised (as opposed to Zoarcina;) by the unpaired fins being evenly developed all round, the 

 dorsal fin having no lo-w'cr spinous portion, and (as opposed to Gymitehnce) by ventral fins being present. 



As time went on, a considerable number of species has been described from Greenland and 

 North Europe, and their authors have retained them within the original genus Lycodes Reinli. It 

 seems to me more natural to subdivide the species of North Europe and Greenland into 3 genera: 

 Lycodes, Lycenchelys and Lycodontis. Compared with some foreign (American) genera these have 

 the following structural characters in common: teeth occur both on the intermaxillary and the man- 

 dible, and on the vomer and palatines; the mandible has no barbule. The relationships may be shortly 

 displayed in the following n-ianner'): 



1) Kgl. D. Vidensk. Selsk. Skr. VII, 1S3S, p. 153. 



2) Sveriges och Norges P'iskar, II, 1891, p. 4 & 13 — 18. 



3) Jordan & Everniann: The Fishes of North and Middle Anifric-i, Part III, 1898, p. 2456. (Washington). 



4) A more detailed diagnosis of the genera will be given later. 



