322 



SCANDINAVIAN FISIIKS. 



THE KING OF THE HERRINGS (.mv. sillkunge.n). 

 REGALECUS GLESXE. 



Fig. 87. 



Jjcngth of the liead less tliaii the (jr cutest deptli of the Ijodi/". Tall i)iohuhlij cloiniatcd to u fine point iv'dli the dorsal 

 fin gradually disappearing posteriorly, hut in all recorded specimens from the Atlantic broken ofi' short, with the point 

 stripped both of the dorsal fin and the caudal and ending In a naked vertebra, ivhile the dorsal edge slopes down- 

 ward, generally In an ohUqne S-curre. bclilnd the last ray of the dorsal fin. TJie first {10 — 15 or 1/ Y) rays In 

 the dorsal fin are elongated and erected into a {continuous {Y) or) bifid, cristate, occlpitcd fin : the :Jnd, Hrd, 4th 

 and ')th of these rays are the slenderest, and the 1st the tlilckest and, together nitJi the (>th, proli(dAy the longest; 

 most. If not (dl, of these rays n-lth a foliate extension of tlte membrane at the tip. The rest of the dorsal fin 

 loieer, Its greatest height coinciding n-lth the greatest depth of the body and measuring from ' .. to '/^ of the latter. 

 Base of the pectoral fin horizontal and about equaV in length to the fin Itself or at least half thereof. Only the 

 first ray of the rentral fins 2^srsistent, being thick and long, n-lth a foliate extension of the membrane at the tip 

 {and {Y) a triangular extension thereof at the second third of the length of the ray, on the Inner margin). Longi- 

 tudinal diameter of the eye {in specimens 3 metres or more In length) about equal to the thickness of the head 

 or from '5 to ^'„ ')/" the length of tJie latter: and the eyes set hi the upper anterior half of the head. Maxillary 

 bones, iupraortiltal part (of the frontal bo)ies) and opercular bones Irregularly cavernous and striated u-ltli radiating 

 grooves and ridges. Frontrd profile concave in. its slope from the occiput. Lateral line forming a chain of oblong 

 scales, each pierced n-ltli a fulie, ''n-hich are quite thin and set loosely in the skin." On each side of the body, 

 which is of a silvery lustre, 4 — <> longitudinal, dark brou-n ridges, granulated u-lth rough tubercles and separated 

 by shalloH- grooves n-lth smoother skin. These ridges are obliquely traversed In front by the lateral line, which 

 just in front of the vent takes its place at the lowest fourth {further back at tlte lowest fifth and finally at the 

 lowest seventh) of the depth of the body". Body transversely marked with oblique, black bands or rows of spots, 

 tvhich are usually interrupted at the lateral line''. Dorsal fin and the ventral ray red'. Forehead and the inside 

 of the mouth black. Number of gill-rakers on the first branchial arch 42 or 43. 



^i/ii. 



R. hi: ii: n. - ; P. 11-^ 



200 — 400 



-13; V. 1; Vert. cirL-. 110. 



Opliidiuin ijlcsne, AsCA.v., D. Vid. Selsk. Skr., N. Saml., Deel 

 III, p. 421; Id. (Regaleciis), Icon. Her. Nat., call. II, p. 6, 

 tab. XI; NiLSS., Prodr. Ichth. ■Scaiid., p. 105; Cuv., Val. 

 {Gymnetrus), Hist. Nat. Poiss., toni. X, p. 306; Gthr {Re- 

 rjalecus), Cat. Brit. Mus., Fish., vol. Ill, p. 310; Coll., 

 Forh. Virl. Selsk. Christ. 1874, TilL-egsh., p. 84; ibid. 1883, 

 No. li;, p. 7: N. Mag. Naturv., Bd. 29 (1884), p. 71; 

 LlLL,!., <S'y., Norg. Fish., vol. 1, p. 475. 



Regalecus reniipes, Brunn, D. Vid. Selsk. Skr., N. Saml., 



Deel. HI, p. 414, tab. B, ligg. 4 et 5 ; Wai.b., Art. Gen. 



Pise, App., p. 696, tab. 3, fig. 4; Bl., Seas. (Gymnetrtts), 



Si/st. Idilh., p. 482, tab. 88. 

 Gi//iinetrus Ascanii. Lindr.. Vet.-Akad. Handl. 1798, p. 290. 

 Gymuetrtis Haickenii, Bl., Ausl. Fish., part. IX, p. 95, tab. 



423; Bl., Schn. (G. Hawkinsii), 1. c, p. 481; Cuv., Val., 



1. c, p. 372; Yarr., Brit. Fish., ed. II, vol. I, p. 221. 

 Gi/mnetrus Gril.Iii, Lindr., 1. c, p. 288, tab. VIII; Cuv., Val., 



1. c, p. 370; Nilss., 6'kand. Fn., Fish., p. 169; Gthr, 



1. <•., p. 311. 



° 'L'he iiverage length of the head is about 14 "i (13 — 15 %) of the distance between the vent and the tip of the snout or about 70 

 % (67 — 73 %) of the greatest depth of the body, which in its turn measures on an average about 25 % (22 — 26 °o) of the distance between 

 the vent and the gill-opening or about 20 % (18 — 22 %) of the distance between the vent and the tip of the snout, which latter distance, 

 in specimens not more than 45 dm. in length, is about 40 S of the length of the body. 



* According to Lindroth and Wright, as well as McCoy. 



' Before it ends at a distance from the tip of the tail which measures at least about '/'u of the length of the body according to 

 McCoy. 



'' On the hind part of the body, though not on the hindmost part of the tail, there also appear, according to McCoy, round black 

 spots, arranged in fairly regular, longitudinal rows. 



*■ Pectoral fins white, according to McCoY. 



