382 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



146. Wolf eel {Lycenchelys verrillii Goode and Bean) 



Jordan and Evermann, 1S96-1900, p. 2470. 



Description. — This fish is eel-like in form and resembles the eelpout in most 

 respects, but is more slender (12 to 14 times as long as deep), and there is no sepa- 

 ration, apparent or real, between dorsal, caudal, and anal fins, the one continuous 

 vertical fin running along the back, around the tail, and forward on the lower 

 surface to the vent. The dorsal fin not only originates farther back than in 

 the eelpout (over the tip of the pectoral instead of in front of the base of the latter), 

 but all the dorsal rays (about 92) are soft. Furthermore the anal (about 88 rays) ex- 

 tends relatively farther forward. The pectorals are rounded like those of the eel- 

 pout, Hhe small ventrals similarly located well forward of the pectorals, and in 

 small specimens the head resembles that of its relative in profile except for a some- 

 what wider mouth. Old males (fig. 191) "are transformed almost beyond specific 

 recognition by an extraordinary development of the entire head in advance of the 

 eyes. The snout becomes shovel -shaped, its length equal to two-fifths that of 

 the head, while in the normal condition it is one-fourth." 49 



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Fig. 191. — Wolf eel, male {Lyc< nchelys verrillii) 



Color. — Described as light grayish brown above the lateral line, pearly white 

 below, with livid blue belly, the sides marked with irregular brown patches bisected 

 by the lateral line, and dotted with white above the latter. We have no color 

 notes from life, but preserved specimens show these patches clearly. 



Size. — Seven to ten inches long. 



General range. — So far known only off the coasts of New England and Nova 

 Scotia, in rather deep water. 



Occurrence in the Gulf of Maine. — This is certainly a rare fish in the Gulf, a 

 few specimens trawled off the mouth of Passamaquoddy Bay in 35 to 50 fathoms, 

 one 4 inches long taken off Monhegan Island by the Grampus on August 2, 1912, 

 in 60 fathoms, with several collected off Cape Ann in 75 to 110 fathoms, in the 

 Western Basin in 115 fathoms, and off Cape Cod by the U. S. Fish Commission 

 many years ago, being the only records in its inner waters. It has been trawled 

 at many localities on the continental slope at 200 to 400 fathoms between longitudes 

 68° 22' and 75° W., and probably it occurs all along this zone thence eastward, for 

 it is known from the fishing banks off the outer coast of Nova Scotia, off Cape Negro, 

 and off Halifax (90 to 101 fathoms). 



<> Goode and Bean, 1896, p. 310. 



