234 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



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Figure 113. — Hakeling (Physiculus fulvus), outer edge of Continental Shelf off Nantucket. From Goode and Bean. 



Drawing by H. L. Todd. 



fins, for it has two dorsals, the first (10 rays) 

 triangular and much shorter than the second 

 (about 49 rays) which is of nearly uniform height 

 from end to end ; one long anal fin (about 54 rays) 

 which is similar to the second dorsal in shape; and 

 ventral fins situated in front of the pectorals. 

 It is separable from the white, squirrel, and long- 

 finned hakes (genus Urophycis, pp. 221 and 232) 

 in that its anal fin originates in front of the origin 

 of the second dorsal fin instead of considerably 

 behind the latter and that its ventral fins have 5 

 rays each instead of 2 and are much shorter than 

 those of the true hakes, with the longest ray (the 

 second, which is filamentous at the tip) hardly 

 reaching back as far as the middle of the pectoral 

 fins. Furthermore, the snout of the hakeling is 

 blunter than that of any true hake; its caudal fin 

 much smaller; its body tapers more abruptly; 

 and none of the rays of its first dorsal fin are pro- 

 longed. 



Color. — Described as light yellowish brown with 

 the lower surface of the head, the abdomen, and 

 the margins of the dorsal and anal fins very dark 

 brown, and with a dark brown blotch on each 

 cheek (on the subopercular bone). We have not 

 seen it fresh from the water. 



Size. — The maximum size is not known. 



Habits. — Nothing is known of the habits of the 

 hakeling except that it is a deep-water fish, having 

 been taken from 79 fathoms down to 955 fathoms, 

 where it lives on or near the bottom, to judge from 

 its general structure. 



General range and occurrence in the Gulf of 

 Maine. — This hakeling has been taken at several 

 localities in the Gulf of Mexico and on the con- 

 tinental slope off the eastern United States. The 



most northerly record for it is off Nantucket 

 flat. 40° 01' N., long. 69° 56' W.) in 79 fathoms, 

 and it is on this record that the hakeling is men- 

 tioned here. 60 



Four-bearded rockling Enchelyopus cimbrius 

 (Linnaeus) 1766 



Rockling 



Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 2560. 



Description. — The rocklings, of which this is 

 the only common local representative, differ from 

 their near relatives, tUe hakes (genus Urophycis), 

 in the facts that their ventral fins are short, with 

 5 to 7 rays, and that the first section of their dorsal 

 fin consists of only one ray, which is nearly as long 

 as the head, and which stands over the upper 

 corners of the gill openings, followed by a series of 

 about 50 very short, separate, hairlike rays without 

 connecting membrane, which can be laid down in 

 a groove on tbe back. Thus there is only one 

 well-developed dorsal fin. Rocklings differ fur- 

 ther from all other gadoids in the presence of long 

 barbels on the top of the nose as well as on the 

 chin, the number of these being the most obvious 

 specific character among the several species of 

 rocklings. In the present species there are a 

 pair of these barbels close in front of the nostrils, 

 a third and somewhat shorter barbel standing 

 alone on the tip of the snout, and there is a 

 fourth barbel hanging from the chin. 



Rocklings remind one of young hake in their 

 slender bodies tapering back from the shoulders; 



*> Another small hakeling (Lotella maiillaris) has been taken orl Marthas 

 Vineyard. It is separable from the hakeling described above by the fact 

 that its anal fin originates behind the origin of the second dorsal fin, and by 

 its larger teeth. 



