110 



.SCANDIXAVIAN FIMIES. 



Gknus scomber. 



liodij (III eloiif/dfed fiisifonii or shorter and someirhaf compressed {perciform). Scales of fuirhi uniform size 

 distributed over the l)odi/. in the preabdominal region onli/ slighthi, hut generidly distinctlij, larger than on the 

 hind parts. Dorsal fins quite distinct., often far apart: the first more or less triangular, the second set almost 

 verticallg ahorc the anal fin and corresponding to it in otJivr respects too. Finlets behind tlie dorsal and 

 anal fins usuallg 5, sometimes 4 or (>. In front of the anal fin one free, spinous ray. Pectoral fins set fairly 

 high, at least the Uj)/)er part of their insertion on a level irith fin- pupil. Eyes comparatively large, hut covered 

 anteriorly and posteriorly by a uell-developed adipose lid. I'rcorhital hone broad, completely covering the upjier jaiv- 

 bone, when^ the mouth is closed. Small teeth, irhich are sometimes scarcely distinguishable and sometimes disappear, 

 on the Jaws, the head of the vomer and the palatine bones. On each side of the end of the tad, at the hose of 

 the caudal fin tiro lateral carince converging jjosteriorly and covered by a ro/r of jiointed dermal fiaps., hetireen 

 which oblong, linguiform scales are set. No middle carina on tJie tail. Numerous, but free., pyloric appendages. 



Most of the species belonging to this genus may 

 easily be distinguished at tlie first glance from the 

 other numbers of the family by the distinct scales of 

 fairly equal size on the body, in conjunction with the 

 ■wide se])aration of the dorsal fins. In the latter I'e- 

 spect these Mackerels resemble onlj^ the preceding ge- 

 nus. But the genus Scomber also contains forms, e. g. 

 Scomber kanagurfa from the Red Sea and the Indian 

 Ocean, in whicli the dorsal fins are nearer each other, 

 or at least the groove of the first dorsal extends so 

 far back as to reduce the distance l)etween it and the 

 second dorsal to about '/g of the length of the first 

 dorsal, thus depriving this distance of its value as a 



generic^ character. In this capacity tlie high develop- 

 ment of the })reorbital bone, the comijaratively large 

 size of the eyes and the unimportance of the difference 

 in the size of the scales on the pectoral region and 

 the hind parts of the body, are far safer guides. From 

 the large size of the eyes and the comparatively small 

 number of the finlets we. may conclude that the genus 

 Scomber occupies a lower rank in the scale of develop- 

 ment of the famil}^ than the preceding genera. 



Of this genus, according to Gunthek", no more 

 than 7 species are known''. (_)nly one of them belongs 

 to the Scandinavian fauna. 



THE MACKEREL. 

 SCOMBER SGOMBRUS. < 



Plate V, fig. 2. 



Back bluish green with a dasJi of brassy yclloiv and ivavy, black, transverse bands; bcloir the limit of the dorsal 

 colouring we often find a longitudinal row of dark spots, sometimes coalescenf. Length of the suture between the 

 suboperculum and inter operculum more than half of that hetiveen the former and tlie operculum. Scales on the 

 hind parts of the body extremely small, much more so than in the region of the pectoral fins. No air-bladder. 



R. br. 7; D. 10—12/-? — ^,V. 1. VI; A. 1---— /IV 1. V; 

 '8 — 10 ' 8—11' 



P. 1 1. 2 + 17 — 19; V. I; V. ,r + 1 5 1. 16+.r. 



Syn. Scomber No. 1, Art. Gen., p. 30; Syn., p. 48; Spec, p. 68. 



Scomber scoynbrus, Lin., Syst. Nat., ed. X, torn. I, p. 297; Retz. 



Fn.Suec. Lin., p. .■3;59: Ascan., Icon. Her. Nat., part. 1, p. 4, 



tab. Ill; Cuv., Val., Hist. Nut. Pois.?.. vol. VIII, p. 6; 

 NiLss., Prfldv. Ichth. ScaiiiL, p. 83; Kkoy., Daiiiii. Fiske, 

 vol. I, p. 220; NuKDM., Dcmid. Voy. Russ. Mcr., p. 391; 

 Wriout, Fries, Ekstr., Skand. Fiskar. ed. 1, p. 128, tab. 

 29; NiLSS., Skand. Fn. Fisk., p. 129; Lii.lj., Ups. Univ. 

 Inbjudn. 4 Nov. 18()4, p. 7; Linpstrum, Gottl. Lans Hush.- 

 Sallsk. Arsber. ISlKi, p. 25 (sep.); Malmor., (3fvers. Vet.- 

 Akad. Fijrli. 1867, No. 25, p. 260; Esmarck, Forli. Naturf. 



" Tntrod. Study Fish., p. 457; Handb. IchthyoL, p. 323. 



According to STElNDACnNicn's opinion that Scomber j)iieumatopboriis and Sc. colitis belong to the same species, the nnniher of spe- 

 cies known within the genus is reduced to 6. 



