28 LYCODIN^. 



side of the neck) and 5 — 9 whitish yellow cross-lines on the bod\-, which are /!; -formed 

 in the yonng, bnt in the medi nm-si zed specimens enclose dark spots or stripes and 

 finall}' form festoon-shaped markings. The scales cover the whole of the body as 

 far as the neck and base of the ventral fins and extend far ont on to the nnpaired fins. 

 The lateral line is double, mediolateral and ventral, bnt often indistinct, especially 

 the mediolateral. Pyloric appendages are wanting. The length reaches to 705mm. 

 D. 113— 118. A. 97 — 102. P. 22 — 23. Vert. 115 — 118 (23 + 92 — 95)M- 

 Distribution. Finmark, 150 — 200 fathoms; between Norway and Bear Island, 

 200 fathoms; Norway-Shetland Slope, 275 fathoms; Fteroe Channel, 620 fathoms; east 

 from the Faeroes, 228 fathoms; between the Faeroes and Iceland, 250 fathoms; east 

 from Iceland, 300 fathoms; Nova Scotia. 



Remarks on the S y n o n y m }•. 



L. esmarkii was founded in 1S74 by Collett for a Lj-codes occurring in the fjords of Finmark, which was however 

 already mentioned by Esmark in 1868 and referred by him to L. vahiit Reinh.; CoUett also, at a certain period (1878—79), 

 was inclined to place these two species together, but finally raised L. esinarkii to an independent position. Through Colletfs 

 exertions a b)^ no means small material was graduallj' acquired; in 1S83 the number amounted to 22. .\11 these specimens 

 were remarkable for their large size, tying between 575 and 705 mm. Prof. Collett kindly permitted me to examine the 

 smallest specimen which up to the present has come from Finmark ; it measured about 443 mm. Further I have had 3 larger 

 specimens under examination which our Zoological Museum owes to the generosity of Collett. 



Meantime, the Norwegian North- Atlantic Expedition during 1877 — 78 found 4 Lycodes, 81 — 295 mm. long, on the 

 banks off the Lofotens and on the north-west coast of Spitzbergen, concerning which Collett holds it for extremely probable 

 that they are the hitherto wanting young stages of L. esmarkii; the three largest of these are figured in the work on the 

 fishes of the expedition (PI. II, fig. 19, 20, 21) and for comparison an adult L. esmarkii from Finmark is also given (PI. Ill, fig. 

 22). The differences which appear between them, especially in the colour-markings, could be ascribed according to Collett, 

 to the great difference in age and size. 



In 1896, the Ingolf Expedition obtained a 260 mm. long Lycodes north-west from the F'teroes which in colour-mar- 

 king recalls greatly the largest from the Norwegian North-Atlantic Expedition, and for other reasons also must be considered 

 identical with the presumed \'Oung stages of L. esmarkii Coll. On opening this specimen I found the gut pro\'ided with 

 two pyloric appendages, small yet quite distinct, whilst L. esmarkii of Collett displays no trace of tliese^). An investigation, 

 undertaken thereafter on a specimen from the Norwegian North-AUantic Expedition , showed that this likewise possessed 

 pyloric appendages. It was therefore clear that the supposed young of L. esmarkii could not be stages in the development 

 of this fish, but must belong to a separate species. A detailed comparison further strengthened the independence of the two 

 forms, so that I was obliged to set up a new species for the specimens obtained away from Finmark, which I have called 

 L. etidipletirostictus ; an explanation of this point will be given later (p. 34—37). 



Whilst I have been obliged to remove from L. esmarkii a form that had previously been considered its young stages, 

 I have at the same time had the satisfaction of being able to show a true early stage of L. esmarkii. This I found in a 

 small Lycodes, which the Swedish Nathorst Expedition of 1S9S obtained between Norway and Bear Island, and which has already- 

 been described as to its most important characters by Dr. E. Lonnberg (1. c ). This author ascribed it to L. vaklii, as he hke 

 Prof. S m i 1 1 declares himself unable to distinguish between L. esmarkii and L. vaklii^ a position I cannot agree with (cf. p. 31 — 32). 



On a \' o u n g specimen of Lycodes esmarkii. 

 Tab. Ill, fig. 2 a. 

 A comparison between the siDecimen jnst referred to (from the sea between Norway- and Bear 

 Island) and L. esmarkii from Finmark will show how it ma\- rightly be considered as a very young 

 specimen of L. esmarkii. 



') Collett found Vert. 23 + 95 in one specimen, in another I counted 23 — 92, Lilljeborg (1. c. p. 16) also 23 + 92 

 in a third. 



-) After this was written, I have been able through Dr. E. Lonnberg's kindness, to examine a well-preserved 

 specimen in the Museum at Upsala of the Finmark /.. esmarkii and could convince mj-self that the pyloric appendages were 

 completely wanting. 



