lA'CODIN.U 71 



Lycodes seminudus Reinhardt. 

 Tab. IX, I-"ig. 1 a, b, c, d, e & Tab. X, Kig. i a, b. Fig. 11 — 14 in text. 

 1838. Lycudes seminudus Reinhardt, Kgl. D. Vidensk. Selsk. Skr. VII, p- 223. 

 1878. L. seminudus Collett, Fi.ske fra Nordhavs-Expeditionens sid.ste Togt, Sommeren 1878; Forh. 



Vidensk. Selsk. Chria. 1878, No. 14, p. 67. 

 1880. L. semttitidus Liitken, Vidensk. Medd. Naturh. Foren. Kblivn., p. 325. 

 1880. L. reticulatus Liitken, ibid. p. 318 (parti m). 



1880. L. seminudus Collett, The Norwegian North-Atlantic Expedition, Fi.shes, p. 113, PI. IV, Fig. 28. 

 1895. L. reticulatus Smitt, Skandinaviens Fiskar, II, p. 611 (parti ni). 



1897. L. semimidus Vanhoffen, Gronland-Expedition der Ge.selLschaft fiir Erdknnde zn Berlin, II, i, p. 100. 



1898. L. Liitkenii Liitken, The Dani.sh Ingolf-Expedition, II, i, p. 22 (partini). 



1901. L. reticulatus forma semiiiuda Smitt, Bih. K. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. Bd. 27, Aid. IV, No. 4, p. 31 

 (partim). No. 14-15, 17 — iS & 20—22. 



The height over the anus is 9 — 10,6 " o of the total length. The length of the 

 head in males is 27 — 30 " <>, in females 25 — 28 °/o of the total length. The longitudi- 

 nal diameter of the eye is 5,3 — 3 '7',, of the total length. The distance between the 

 snout and the anus is 44,6—50,6 "/„ of the total length. The length of the pectoral is 

 9,6 — I 1,8 °/o of the total length. The colour is a uniform gray-brown, or there are indi- 

 stinct dark cross-bands on the trunk and tail, or distinct dark cross-bands (7 — 9) 

 and as a rule a light neck-band. The scales as a rule reach forward only to a point a 

 little behind, over or a little in front of the anus (seldom to the tip of the flattened- 

 out pectoral). Lateral line mediolateral. Pyloric appendages 2. The size ca. 500 mm. 



D. 91-97. A. 73 — 78. P. (19)20— 22. 



Distribution. West Greenland, ca. 100 fathoms; East-Greenland, ca. 100 — 400 

 fathoms; Jan Mayen, 370 fathoms; off the Norway-Shetland Slope>, 600 fathoms; 

 vSpi tzbergen, 260 fathoms; Kara Sea, 92 fathoms. 



Remarks on the Synonymy. 



The species L. seminudzts was formed in 1S38 by Prof. Reinhardt sen. for a Lycodes almost i" 2 feet long, taken 

 at Umanak in West Greenland. From L. reiiculaius Reinh. to which it stood near in several ways, it was distinguished at 

 the first glance in that the bod}- was uniformly coloured and naked from the snout to the vertical line through the anterior 

 end of the anal fin; in his detailed description however, R. laid less weight on these characters, rightly paying attention 

 especially to other more important structural features (number of the teeth, shortness of the pectorals etc.). 



The same specimen was dealt with by Liitken in his treatise of 18S0. L. came to the conclusion, after some 

 acquaintance with larger males of /. reticulatus had been gained in the interval, tliat there was nothing else on which a 

 specific difference between L. yeticulatus and L. seminudus could be based, than tlie distinctly less extension of the scaly 

 covering in the latter. This impression in my opinion was due to an erroneous division of the material which Liitken had. 

 So far as I can see, namely, Nr. iS (1. c. p. 332) of the specimens referred by Liitken to L. reticulatus belongs to the pre- 

 sent species; this individual, whose length is 365 mm., possesses certainly a weakly banded marking and a somewhat widely 

 distributed scaly covering, but in more important characters it seems to agree with L. seminudus. In all probability also, 

 the specimens Nr. 24 and Nr. 25 (1. c p. 332) referred bv Liitken to L. reticulatus belong to L. seminudus ; perfect certainty, 

 however, cannot be attained as they are now unfortunately prepared skeletons'). 



') Liitken says of these specimens, that the colouration was not at all and the scaly covering only partly recogni- 

 sable. The moderate condition of these individuals has naturally brought it about that a failure in detennination could more 

 easily take place. 



