22 BULLETIN 150, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



or not these species approach the shallowest waters of their range to 

 deposit their eggs is unknown. The great vertical range of some of the 

 species may be accounted for in this way. Some of the deep-sea speci- 

 mens have the body distended with eggs, but they do not furnish 

 sufficient data to indicate that the regular breeding season has been 

 modified. Careprodus ovigerum is known from a single specimen, 

 male, and "contained in its mouth, when captured, a spherical mass 

 of eggs apparently of the same species. " The specimen was obtained 

 on the 3d of September and the eggs were, "well along in their de- 

 velopment, the embryos distinctly visible through the very tough 

 egg membranes." Putman (1873, p. 339) records that the spawn- 

 ing season for Liparis is in March. Ehrenbaum (1905) states that 

 Liparis liparis spawns from November to February. Smith (1898) 

 describes Liparis liparis as full of spawn in December and January. 

 The very extensive dredging in the North Sea has demonstrated 

 that the young of Liparis montagui can be obtained in March, or 

 possibly earlier. These facts indicate that the tide-pool species of the 

 family probably spawn during the winter months. Whether this is 

 true of the deep-sea species remains to be investigated. 



DISTRIBUTION 



The Liparidae is a boreal family. The large majority of the spe- 

 cies are found in the North Pacific, North Atlantic, and the Arctic 

 Ocean. A few species have been taken in the great depths of the 

 tropical Pacific and in the shallower cold waters of the Antarctic 

 regions. It is highly probably that the family is represented in the 

 cold depths of the tropical Atlantic and Indian Oceans. 



Of all the regions inhabited by these fishes the North Pacific is 

 the most favored. All of the 13 genera and about three-fourths of 

 the species are recorded from this region. Only three of the genera 

 and one-sixth of the species inhabit the North Atlantic. The same 

 three genera and six species are recorded from the Antarctic regions. 

 Seven of the genera are monotypic and when better known their dis- 

 tribution may be extended. Further exploring of the North Atlantic, 

 Antarctic, and greater depths of the tropical regions will probably 

 greatly extend our knowledge of the distribution of these fishes. 



Genera. — The genus Liparis is represented in the cold shallow waters 

 of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The species of this 

 genus are the most numerous in the North Pacific. The genus 

 is limited in its distribution toward the equator by the summer 

 isotherm of about 60° F. The distribution of Careprodus, the next 

 largest genus, differing from that of Liparis in being absent from the 

 tide pools and, descending to greater depths, is continued into the 

 tropical Pacific. The distribution of Paraliparis, the third largest 

 genus, resembles that of Careprodus. The remaining ten genera 



