LYCODIN,^. Q, 



Distribution. A single specimen (J) was taken by the Ingolf Expedition of 1895 (St. 27) in 

 Davis Straits off the coast between the colonies Godthaab and Sukkertoppen (64° 54' N.I^. 55° lo'W.L.), 

 where the depth was 393 fathoms and bottom-temperature -(- 3°8 C. 



Relation to allied species. Of these, L.iimrcena Coll. is the one which is most remote from 

 the present species. L. murcejta is namely a still more elongated form, the height over the anus being 

 4ii— 5°''o of the total length, and it has a more compressed tail; further, its underjaw reaches almost 

 to the tip of the upper, its dorsal fin begins further forward (the distance from the snout is = 17,6 — 18,2 °/o 

 of the total length), and it has fewer rays in the pectorals, namely 13 — 15. 



L. sarsii Coll. is distincth' nearer to the present species, but its head is somewhat longer (the 

 length in the two females at m\- disposal Ijeing 13,7— 14,2" '„ of the total length), and flatter, and the 

 lower jaw reaches almost as far forward as the upper (see Fig. 21 & 22 in text). In addition, it has 

 fewer rays in the pectorals, namely 15 — 16. 



On the other hand, there might be some doubt, whether the present species is not identical 

 with the L. paxillns Goode & Bean') taken on the east coast of North America in deep water (263 

 —904 fathoms). As I am not myself acquainted with L. paxillns , I shall only indicate that this 

 species appears to be less elongated, the height going 16 times in the total length (whereas in L. 

 ingolfianns it is almost 20 times); further, L. paxillus seems to have only 16 rays in the pectorals, 118 

 in the dorsal and no in the anal fin; lastly, the ateral line is given as being single (mediolateral). 



Lycodonus Goode & Bean. 

 Lycodonus Goode & Bean, Bull. Mus. Comp. ZooL, X, No. 5, 1883, p. 208 (inirabilis). 



The bod}- very elongated (angu ill if orm), the height over the anus going ca. 

 21 — 30 times in the length. Teeth on the intermaxillary, mandible, vomer and 

 palatines. L o w e r j a w w i t h o ti t b a r b u 1 e s. Scales small. Lateral line m e d i o 1 a t e r al or 

 both mediolateral and ventral. Along the bases of the dorsal and anal fins a row of 

 small bony plates ( 1 a t e r a 1 o u t - g r o w t h s o f the u p p e r e n d s o f t h e i u t e r s p i n o u s r a y s ) , on 

 which the rays are superimposed. Bran chios tegal rays 5. 



This genus, which in relation to the other anguilliform Lycodince is specially characterized by 

 the structure of the interspinous bones and by only having 5 branchiostegal rays, consists now of 3 

 species from deep water: Lycodonus mirabilis Goode & Bean, off the east coast of the United States 

 (35" 45' 23" — 41° 53' N.L. 65° 21' 50" — 74° 34' 45" W.L.), 721 — 1309 fathoms; L. ophidiuin Jensen, North 

 Atlantic Ocean S. from Iceland, 1089 fathoms; L. flagellicauda Jensen, the polar depths from Spitz- 

 bergen down towards Iceland and the Faeroes, 459 — 1003 fathoms. 



The American species lacks fin-rays on the anterior (9— 11) jjlates on the back, whereas all 

 the plates bear fin-ra\s in the European species. The two last species can be distinguished from one 

 another by the following characters: 



■) Lycodes paxillus Goode & Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1879, p. 44. L. paxilloides Goode & Bean, Bull. Mus. Comp. 

 Zool., X, 1S83, p. 207. Lycenchelys paxilbis Goode & Bean, Oceanic Ichthyology, 1S95, p. 311, Fig. 279 & 2S2 ; Jordan & Ever- 

 niann, Fishes of North America, III, 1S98, p. 2471. 



