REVISION OF THE FISH FAMILY LIPARIDAE 101 



letti, and spectrum. It is possible that pseudobranchiae may be pres- 

 ent in the more generahzed species of the genus. 



Pyloric coeca. — The number of pyloric coeca varies from to 45. 

 The majority of the species have less than 20. This is quite a reduc- 

 tion from the number found in Liparis in which genus the number 

 varies from 10 to more than 90 and only 2 or 3 of the species have less 

 than 20. On account of the scarcity of material the taxonomic value 

 of the number of pyloric coeca has not been investigated. The coeca 

 in this genus became shifted over the left side of the abdominal cavity 

 due to a shortening of the alimentary tract. They are more readily 

 reached through an incision on the left side of the body. 



PricMes. — Two distinct types of pricldes, the "thumb-tack" and 

 cactuslike, are present on some of the species of Careproctus. Only 

 two species — C. entomelas and C. entargyreus — are known to have 

 *' thumb-tack" prickles. It is very likely that other species, possibly 

 known ones, will be found to have this type of prickle. Four species — 

 C. ostentum, C. rastrinus, C. trachysoma, and C. acanthodes — are known 

 to possess cactuslike prickles. The significance of these prickles is 

 unknown. Whether or not they are of specific value remains to be 

 investigated. They are present on only one of the specimens of C. 

 ostentum but are present on all the specimens of the other three species. 

 They are easily rubbed ofl; with the epidermis. 



Coloration. — The species of Careproctus are never variegated, mot- 

 tled, barred, or striped as is typical of the species of Liparis. The spe- 

 cies of Careproctus are uniformly colored whitish, pinkish, dusky, or 

 black, or a combination of these colors, but never in such a manner as 

 to be variegated. White and pink predominate in the shallower water 

 forms and black in the greater depths. C. pycnosoma, one of the most 

 generalized species of the genus, has a uniform dusky gray color like a 

 few species of Liparis. The peritoneum varies from silvery to dotted 

 and pure black. The stomach varies from pale to black. It varies 

 independently of the peritoneum and may be black when the perito- 

 neum is pale or pale when the peritoneum is black. The peritoneum 

 is white or black, but apparently is never white or silvery when the 

 epidermis is black. The color of the mouth and gill cavity varies 

 from pale to black. When the skin is transparent the flesh is usually 

 stippled with black. The black pigment apparently encroaches first 

 upon the caudal region, peritoneum, gill cavity, and mouth. These 

 regions are frequently black when the remainder of the body is light 

 colored. All intermediate stages from white to pure black are found 

 in the genus. Rarely, if, ever is there more pigment in the dermis 

 anteriorly than posteriorly. The genus represents the transition from 

 the hemibathybial to the bathybial type of coloration; Liparis rep- 

 resents the littoral type, 

 91668—30 8 



