Jordan and Evcnnann. — Fishes of North America. 1981 



of the caudal peduncle, a characteristic marking in several of the mem- 

 Lers of this genus; ventral surface lighter; sides with large, ovate white 

 spots; 4 or 5 bright cream spots at edge of tlio black and hidden by the 

 pectorals; mandibles mostly black; lower lip with black mottlings; angle 

 of mouth light; tip of maxillaries black; a black blotch at isthmus just 

 back of membrane; first dorsal mostly black; a white blotch covering 

 lower \ of membranes between fourth and sixth spines; from the upper 

 anterior angle of this blotch the white extends across the fourth spine and 

 runs into the spot at the edge of the membrane and between the third 

 and fourth si^iues ; at the edge of the membrane and between each 2 spines 

 there is a white spot, very small between first and second, but increasing 

 in size posterioily and between the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth, 

 running together, leaving a tip of black at the end of the eighth spine; 

 second dorsal black with a few circular white spots, each spot with its 

 center on a fin ray and its edge reaching to middle of membrane ; these 

 spots inclined to run together; caudal mostly black, partially divided by 

 narrow interspace of white into 2 heavy vertical bands; anal colored 

 similar to the second dorsal; tips of rays and edge of membrane white; 

 ventrals with several black spots ; pectorals black Avith oval white spots 

 on membranes, which join each other imperfectly across the rays to form 

 4 or 5 interrupted vertical bars of black; 2 white spots at base of rays. 

 (Scofield.) Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea; chiefly northward. The speci- 

 mens here described from Port Clarence, Chignik Bay, and Herendeen 

 Bay. Also known from. Bering Straits and tSt. Michaels. (aariHacis, per- 

 taining to the axil, or armpit.) 



Boreocotfua"' axillaris, GiLL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1859, 166, Bering Straits. 

 Oottus axillaris, Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 706, 1883. 

 Myoxocephalus axillaris, Scofield, Kept. Fur Seal Investigations, 1898. 



2355. MYOXOCEPHALUS STELLERl, Tilesius. 



D.IX (rarely VIII), 15 (rarely 16); A. 12 (11 to 13). Resembling in 

 shape M. polyacantliocephalus, the head less depressed and the snout deeper 

 than in M. jaok. Characteristic features are the thickened papillose 

 lips, the i)resence of a supraocular tentacle, and the peculiar coloratiim. 

 Skin naked or with a few scattered small plates in adult males, the inter- 

 orbital deeply concave, and the occipital and parietal ridges heavy and 

 more or less broken or rugose. Head 2f to 2j in length; depth 4; least 

 depth of caudal peduncle 1^ in snout; greatest width of head equaling 



* This species is the type of the nominal genus Boreocottus. Gill, thus described by Gill : 

 "Body subcylindrical, rapidly declining to the caudal fin. Skin mostly naked, or with 

 small and distinct tubercles above the lateral line. Latiral lim- diicnina; on the sides 

 throush small distant pores. Head large, depressed, and subrlioniliDidal; nasal spines 

 small; preopercle with 2 simple spines near the angle and "J tiiln-iclcs below; opercle 

 with a longitudinal rib terminating in a spine and with a round incinbraiiaceoiis mar- 

 gin; subopeiflc with a s]iine directed downward, rostcirbital loiiiiitudinal crests little 

 developed. Moutli nuxb-rate. Teeth villiforiii, ]ires(iit on each Jaw and on the front, 

 of the vomer, liramhidstegal membrane contiimons under the throat, but attached along 

 the middle of its length almost to its margin, and thus nearly restricting the branchial 

 apertures to their respective sides. Branchioategal rays 6. Dorsals separate, the first 

 low, highest at the middle. Ventrals small, moderately approximated and behind the pec- 

 torals, each with a spine and 3 soft rays." 



