2470 Bulletin //, United States National Museum. 



2831. LTCODALEPIS MUCOSIIS (Richardson). 



Head 31; depth 8. D. (including \ of caudal) 90; A. (including \ of cau- 

 dal) 71 ; P. 18 ; V. 3. Body robust, head very large ; snout 3 in head ; inter- 

 orbital area 6 in head; nostrils much farther from eyes than from each 

 other, their distance from eyes 4*^ in head; upper jaw 6^ in total length; 

 lower jaw 6|; eyes small, close together, their long diameter 11 in the 

 head ; distance from tip of snout to base of pectoral fin 3^ in total length ; 

 p<!ctoral fin 6|; length of ventrals equaling long diameter of eye. (Goode 

 A: Bean.) Lateral line (in specimens from Cumberland Gulf) very faint, 

 but with both median and ventral branch. Blackish, with irregular white 

 markings in the form of 5 faint and narrow l)ars across the back. Arctic 

 America, (mucosus, slimy.) 



Lycodes mucosus, Richardson, Last Arctic Voyage, 362, pi. 26, 1855, Northumberland 

 Sound; Bean, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 15, 112, 1879 ; Goode & Bean, Oceanic Ichthy. 

 ology, 306, 1896. 



Lycodalepis mucosus, Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsi.s, 788, 1883. 



937. LYCENCHELYS, Gill. 

 Lycenchelijs, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1884, 110 (murcena) . 



This genus contains small and very slender species dift'ering from Lyco- 

 des in the elongation of the body, the depth being from 10 to 20 times in 

 the length. The lateral line is single and median in all known sjiecies. 

 The genus is very close to Li/codrs, but the position of the lateral line 

 siifiiciently defines it, especially in connection with the slender eel-like 

 form. (AuKos, wolf; iyjeAvs, eel.) 



a. Lower half of pectoral not notably longer than upper; depth 12 to 16 in length. 

 b. Dor.sal rays 92; anal 88; color grayish, with irregular brown patches. 



VERRILLII, 2832. 



bb. Dorsal rays 118; anal 110; color brown, the head darker. taxillus, 2833. 



aa. Lower half of pectoral considerably longer than upper; head with large pores; 



depth 14 times in length ; color dusky brown. porifer, 2834. 



2832, LYCENCHELYS VERRILLH (Goode & Bean). 



Head 5|; depth about 13; eye 2 in snout. D. 92; A. 88; P. 15; V. 5. 

 Body elongate; head much depressed. Distance of vent from ventrals 

 slightly greater than head, its distance from snout about 3 in body ; dis- 

 tance of dorsal fin from snout i greater than head; distance of anal 

 from snout twice head; dorsal and anal fins about ec^ual in height, with 

 even margins, not difterentiated from caudal, the rays increasing some- 

 what in length posteriorly ; distance of pectoral from snout about equal 

 to head, twice length of pectoral; pectoral reaching vertical from base of 

 second dorsal ray ; distance of ventrals from snout less than head, their 

 length less than i that of pectorals. Head, body, and fins enveloped in 

 tough, lax skin. Scales cycloid, circular, and ovate, with numerous con- 

 centric striae, and about 18 lobes on margin, the whole perimeter being 

 lobed; scales deeply embedded in the skin at distances from each other 

 equal to their own diameters, most numerous on upper part of body and 



