LYCODINie. 



Coll. as a rule has a less develoi^ed scaly covering-, as the anterior portion of the back and a large 

 part of the belly are naked, and the scales (in general) do not extend on to the unpaired fins (Tab. IV, 

 fig. I & Tab. V, fig. 2); in the variety squamiventer mihi however, the scales reach to the neck and to 

 the underside of the belly, and appear as well on the unpaired fins (Tab. IV, fig. 2), but it is not 

 excluded that I liave made an error in considering this form as a variety of L. pallidus ; it must 

 perhaps be raised to a separate species. Lastly L. plafyr/n'niis, as stated above, is entirely naked. 



All in all, the extent of the scah- covering furnishes often a good specific character when adult 

 individuals can be examined. 



Colour. One species can be said with certainty to be uniformly coloured at all ages, without 

 spots or bands, and that is L. frigidzis Coll. (Tab. V, fig. i a, b). The reason for this, I presume, is 

 that this species is restricted to great depths (450 — 1455 fathoms). L. atlanticiis Jensen, L. pallidus 

 Coll. var. (vel sp. n.) squamiventer mihi (Tab. IV, fig. 2 a, b), L. tnicrocephalus Jensen (Tab. I, fig. i) and 

 L. platyrhin-its Jensen (Tab. VI, fig. 2) have likewise no markings so far as one can judge from the 

 present scarce material, and they all live at great depths (respectively 516 — 1423 f., 537 — 957 f., 799 f. 

 and 1 010 f.). 



The remaining species which do not reach in general to so great depths, possess a more lively 

 colouration as a rule, because dark and light alternate; dark and light cross-bands are the most frequent 

 combination, but rings, network or festooned markings can also occur. Some examples may here be 

 mentioned where the colour markings afford a method of determining certain species. 



L. esmarkii Coll. is remarkable for a specially characteristic colouration. When quite young 

 (Tab. Ill, fig. 2 a) it shows light, A-shaped cross-bands, which in medium-sized individuals (Tab. Ill, 

 fig. 2 b) enclose dark spots or stripes, and which finally in the adults (Tab. Ill, fig. 2 c) change to form 

 festooned markings. 



In all the remaining species, the body of the quite young is adorned with dark and light cross- 

 bands (sometimes the one, sometimes the other is the more prominent), and this colouration is still 

 retained essentially in the older individuals of the following species: L. ezidiplcurostictus Jensen, L. 

 rossi Malmgr., L. liitkenii Coll. and L. agnostics Jensen, whereas L. pallidus Coll., L. vahlii Reinh., 

 L. reticulatus Reinh., and L. seminudus Reinh. frequently assume another colouration with age. L. 

 pallidics as a rule becomes uniformly coloured with age, and the same is often true of L. semimidus. 

 In L. vahlii the bands disappear almost entirely in the adults or become resolved into ringshaped 

 stripes and irregular spots; one, two or three black spots, the one behind the other, occur almost 

 always on the anterior corner of the dorsal fin , so that the species can readily be recognised (Tab. I, 

 fig. 2 & Tab. II, fig. 1). In L. reticulatus the bauds change in the older individuals to form a charac- 

 teristic network, especially on the anterior portion of the body (Tab. II, fig. 2 & Tab. VIII). 



However variable the colour markings may on the whole seem to be, they frequently give 

 good specific characters. On the other hand, it must not be forgotten that e.sj^ecially the young of 

 various species are so similar to one another in colouration, that confusion may very readily occur. 



