76 



LYCODIN^. 



anal fin, in the three others it ceases a little behind this point. The colouration has almost vanished, 

 vet traces of dark cross-bands and light interspaces may be detected, especially on the dorsal fin.| 



On an early and a yonng stage of Ly codes seminudus. 



Amongst the material brought home by the Ingolf Expedition is a small, 67 mm. long Lycodes 

 whicli I take to be an early stage of L. seininudus ; it remained undetermined and is not mentioned in 

 the report on the ichthyological results of the expedition. 



This specimen was taken at St. 116 (south from Jan Alayen, 371 fathoms), at the same place 

 therefore, where the 180 mm. long specimen of L. seviinudus^ mentioned previously, was taken — a 

 circumstance that might at once make one think of the possible specific identit}- of these specimens. 



The proportions of this little specimen are as follows: 



Total length 67 mm. 



Length of the head 18 — 



Distance from snout to anus 31 — 



Height over the anus 6 — 



Putting these figures into percentage, one finds that the length of the head is 26,9%, the 

 distance between the snout and the anus 46,3 ° o, the height over the anus 9 '^/u of the total length. 



As is shown in Fig. i a of Tab. IX, which represents this young specimen natural size, it has 

 8 broad, dark bands over the body. The first band extends from the back of the head to the beginning 

 of the dorsal fin, the second lies over the tip of the pectoral, the anterior margin of the third lies over 

 the anus, the eighth (last) band covers the end of the tail. All the bauds reach from the outer border 

 of the dorsal fin across the back and traverse the linear depression running along the middle of the 

 body; the fifth reaches to near the anal fin, the sixth to the basis of this fin, the seventh and the 

 eighth extend a little on to it. The ground-colour of the body is yellowish white, except on the belly, 

 which is coloured blue-black on account of the peritoneum shining through; the cross-bands have 

 chestnut-brown borders and a somewhat lighter centre. Lastly, one can discern an indication of a 

 neck-band, namely a light spot in the centre line of the neck, beyond the upper notch of the gill- 

 openings. Scales are wanting and a lateral line is not yet apparent. The dorsal fin contains 95 ra)-s, 

 the anal 77, and the pectoral 22. 



If we now compare this young individual with the specimen of L. seiiizii/idns, iSo nun. long, 

 from the same Ingolf station, we find such a great agreement between them that their specific identity 

 cannot be doubted. Figure 14 below .shows this larger specimen, natural size. 



The length of the head is 27%, the distance between the snout and the anus 49% of the 

 total length (180 mm.). The head has thus relatively the same length as in the younger specimen, 

 whereas the tail has less preponderance in length over the rest of the body. It must be added that 

 it is a female with very small eggs in the ovary. 



On the trunk are again the two broad bands, although at the first glance the\- are not 

 recognised as corresponding to the dark bands of the younger specimen; the central part namely has 

 become very light and takes up also such a large part of the band that only its borders stand out 



