SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



group Julidhia, while in others it is naked". Again, 

 the covering of scales at the bases of the dorsal and 

 anal fins, which is connected with the development of 

 the fin-sheath that appears in certain genera of the 

 wrasses and conceals the fins to a greater oi" less ex- 

 tent, displays the same want of imiformity in the dif- 

 ferent species of the tropical genus Callyodon^. The 

 structure of the caudal fin might perhaps sui)ply us 

 ■with a more distinct generic character; but we shall 

 find below, in the Rainbo^v Wrasse, a variation in this 

 respect also. Such a diversity of form within the limits 

 of the other genera confirms, with regard to this species 

 also, the opinion of Fries, Sundevai.l and Lill.je- 

 liOKG tliat all the Scandinavian wrasses ma)- be included 

 in one genus. 



In other respects, both in tlie number of scales in 

 the lateral line and of spinous rays in the dorsal fin, 

 the Scale-rayed Wrasse most closely resembles the follow- 

 ing species {Labrus hergfiyUa). But even in outward 

 ap]>earance it difters from this species, as well as from 

 the Blue-sti"iped Wrasse {Labrus mixtus), as it has only 

 4 roA\'s of scales above the lateral line and the scales 

 on the cheeks are larger. The liod}' is noticeablj^ 

 elongate, and its greatest depth, about V4 of the length'', 

 is a little less than is tlie case A\'ith the Ballan AA'rasse, 

 so that in this respect it more closely resembles Labrus 

 mixtus or Labrus rupestris. The least depth of the 

 Iwdy is about 7i7 of the total length'', which in the 

 Royal Museum's specimen from Hittero in NorM-ay is 

 264 mm. Its greatest thickness of the body is about 

 \ 2 of the greatest depth. The relative length of the 

 head is about the same as in the Ballan Wrasse, being 

 about V7 of the total length'. The relative length of 

 the snout is also nearly the same as in tlie Ballan 

 Wrasse; ))ut the eyes are considerably larger, as is 

 natural in a, fish that api)arently lives in deep watei-. 



The horizontal diameter of the e^'e, \vhich in older 

 s]3ecimens is about Vs of the least breadth of the inter- 

 orbital space-^, is about ^/^g of the length of the head". 

 The relative length of the dorsal fin is only slightly 

 greater than in the Ballan Wrasse, and the length of 

 its base is about */j- of the total length"; but the anal 

 fin is comparatively much longei- and more nearlj' 

 corresponds to that of Labrus mixtus, its base being 

 about •'^/og of the total length' and about half as much 

 again as the least depth of the tail'. These fins are 

 also fairly deep: the length of the longest spinous ra^'s 

 in the dorsal fin is about Vs of the length of the head 

 or ^/\ of the least depth of the tail*. That wliich de- 

 serves special attention, iiowever, is the shortness of the 

 first ra}- of the dorsal fin. This peculiarity, as well as 

 the some\vhat high position of tlie lateral line on the 

 back and its sudden do\vn\\'ard s^veep at the termination 

 of the dorsal fin, tlie arrangement of the jaw-teeth, and 

 the crenulated edge of the preoperculum, may all be 

 observed in our figui-e'. The lips are fleshy and thickly 

 covered with paj)illa?, which also fringe the sides of 

 the longitudinal folds beneath the lateral parts of the 

 upper-lip. The tongue is flat wdth sharp sides. 



The colouring of the Scale-rayed Wrasse seems to 

 be highly variable, t(j judge by the descriptions and 

 figures of Risso'" and Couch". Oberg describes it as 

 follows: — «The colour of the body olive-brown on 

 the back, on the belly lighter and yelloAvish without 

 spots or stripes. The fins yellowish; a blackish-broAvn 

 spot at the meeting of the soft and spinous parts of 

 the dorsal fin, and a similar spot on the upper margin 

 of the base of the caudal fin; the upper part of the 

 spinous rays of tlie dorsal fin blackish-brown. » These 

 spots, as well as the lilackish-brown colour of the mem- 

 branous flaps behind the spinous rays of the dorsal and 

 ventral fins, ai'e still distinct in the specimen preserved 



" Cf. Bleeker, Atlas Icldhijolofjique, I, Labr., p. 158. 



'■" Cf. Bl.EEKEI!, 1. C. p. 12. 



' OLs. Hereafter in this worli, wliere nothing else is remarljed, tlie ^length of the body always means the distance from the tip 

 of the nose to the extremity of the middle caudal rays. In the Hittero specimen the depth is 24.2 % of the length. 



'' III the Hittero specimen 11.7 %. 

 ' ' » 27.7 %^ 



■^ » » » 65 "/,. 



9 III the Hittero specimen 17.8 ' 



■' In the Hittero specimen 151.6 °o. 

 *::■:. :» 77.4 %. 



• » » » 17.8 %. 



The figure also shows how the most superior and the most inferior of the caudal rays that extend to the extremitj- of this fin, are 

 branched. The diiTerence between the Scale-rayed Wrasse and the other Scandinavian species in this respect is expressed in the fin-formula 

 given above. In the formula for the caudal fin {(J) x stands for the number (very seldom uniform and almost impossible to fix without 

 dissection) of supporting niys at the superior and inferior edges of the caudal fin, as well as for the two undivided rays, one at the superior 

 and one at the inferior edge, which are really supporting rays, but usually extend to the extremity of the fin. 

 '" L. c. Cf. also Valenciennes, 1. c. 

 " Hist. Fish. Jirit. hi., Ill, p. .38, tab. CXXIX. 



