208 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



THE BEARDED COTTUS (sw. skaggsimpan or bottekmu^ex.) 

 AGON [IS CATAPHR ACTUS. 



Plate V, fig. 1. 



Body eloufiatcd^ hut Icsf so tliau in the precedin(] species: mimher of paired and impaired plates in a row on the 

 liack from the oeeipnt ta the eaudat fin less than 37": least depth of the tail more than 2'^j^ % of the length of 

 the hod II and at least IS % of the lenfjth of the head: breadth of the hod// aeross the base of the pectoral fins more 

 than Id % of the lene/th of the bod// or than 7 T) % of the lent/th of the head. Bidt/es of the head {a-ith the 

 exception of those of the cheek and the preojien-uhun) and the plates of the bod//, in adalf sjiecimens^ obtuse, not 

 raised in a spinoas form. The tn-o dorsal fins onl// a slight distance apart or cren contignons. Distance between 

 the first dorsal fin and the tip of the ,snoat about SS °/o' (f the length of the bod//: and the length of the head 

 less than 70 % of this distance. Longitudinal diameter of the ege, in full-grown specimens, less than the least 

 breadth of the interorbital space and also less than o % of the len(/th of the body: and the least depth of the tail 

 more than (10 % of this diameter. Tn-o pairs of nasal spines. One or tn-o pairs of barbels on the lon-er side of 

 the snout: in most cases three barbels at eaeli corner of tJie vxaifh and three on the posterior part of the cheek; 

 numerous barbels throughout the branchiostegal membrane on tJie lower side o/ the head. 



R. In-. 6: I). 5 1. GiG~8; ^.<' 6 1. 7 ; 

 C." .r + 7+,?'; L. lat. por.-'' 37—40. 



IG: V 



Si/n. CatapJiracttis, Schonev., Ichtli. Slcsv., Hols. (Hamburg! 1624), 

 p. 30; Coitus cirri's pluriynis, corpore octagono, Art., Gen., 

 p. 49; /%»., p. 77; iSpec, p. 87. 



Coitus cataphr actus, Lin., Mas. Ad. Fried., I, p. 70: Si/st. 

 Nat., ed. X, torn. I, p. 264; Fn. Siiec, ed. IT, p. 115; Retz., 

 Fn. Suec. Lin., p. 327; Faber, Fisclie Isl., p. 117; NiLSS., 

 {Agonus) Prodr. Ichth. Scand., p. 95; V.wa.., {Plialangi,ites) 

 Zoogr. Ross. As., vol. Ill, p. 113; Ki:., {Aspidopliorus) 

 Damn. Fisle, vol. I, p. 143; Ekstr. ct Wright, Sltand. 

 Fislc., ed. I, p. 167, lab. 40; Nilss., Skand. Fn., Fisk., p. 

 86; Gthr (Agomis), Cat. Brit. Has., Fish., vol.11, p. 211; 

 Strp., Ltkn, {Aspidophorus), Vid. Medd. Naturh. For. Kbhvn 

 1861, p. 277; Coll. {Agomis), Vid. Selsk. Forh. Chr. 1874, 

 Tillregsh. p. 38; Ltkn, Vid. Meddel. Naturh. For. Kbhvn 

 1876, p. 27; Malm, Gbgs, Boli. F«., p.406; Winth., .Z'oo/. 

 Dan., Fislce, p. 10, tab. II, fig. 6; Id., Naturh. Tidskr. 

 Kbhvn, ser. 3, vol. XII, p. 11; Day, Fisli. G:t Brit., Irel., 

 vol. I, p. 67, tab. XXVIII, fig. 1; Lillj., Sv., Norg. Fish:., 

 vol. I, p. 187; Mob., Hcke, Fisch. Osts., p. 51. 



Aspidopliorns iirmatus, Lacep., Hist. Nai. Foiss., toni. Ill, 

 p. 222. 



Aspidopliorns curopcvus, Cuv., V.m.., Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. IV, 

 p. 201. 



The Bearded Cottus attains alK)ut the same leugtli 

 as the preceding species, Init the forni of the body is 



both deeper and Ijroader. The anterior part of the body 

 is so strongly depressed th;it tlie l)readth, measured 

 across the insertion t>f the jiertoral tins is 125 % of the 

 depth", which, at the same point, is somewhat less than 

 ^'^ of the length of the bodA'. The dorsal line, ^vhich 

 is highest at the occiput, slopes almost in a straight 

 line from this point to the caudal fin. The ventral 

 line is almost straight. The head is depressed, broader 

 than the liody, angularlv rounded at tlie top and flat 

 underneath; and in lengtli measures somewhat more 

 than ^/j of the lengtli of tlie bodv. The breadth of 

 the head across tlie gill-cover is about equal to its 

 length. Tlie forehead is flat and slopes evenly towards 

 the snout, which is divided at the point, projects far 

 in front of tlie mouth and, at the extreme point, is 

 furnished witli four spines or liorns, the two anterior 

 pointing for\vards and the t-\vo ])osterior curved back- 

 wards. In some specimens one or more of these spines 

 are branched at the tip. Tlie ga]je is small, semicir- 

 cular or crescent-shaped, is situated on the lower side 

 of the head, and is not directed upwards. Tlie corner 

 of the mouth ends below the anterior mariiin of the 



" From 31 to 33 in the specimens of the Royal Museiuii. 

 ' At least 32'2 % in the specimens of the Royal Museum. 

 <■ Sometimes 5, according to Lutken. 



5) ^-Jl „ ,, „ 



" All the rays simple, 3 or 4 supporting rays above, and 2 or 3 below the 7 middle rays. 



■'' According to Lill.iehoeo. In the specimens of the Royal Museum we have found 35 in one young specimen and from 37 to 39 

 in older specimens. 



-' In the preceding species (see the table) we have found the greatest depth of the body to be from 84 to 89 % of the greatest 

 breadth; in this species, on the other hand, this ratio varies between 67 and 74 "o. 



