Our examples are from 300 to 457 mm long and do not differ from Gilbert's or 

 Gill & Townsend's (1897, p. 232) description. The latter authors describe from this 

 same region (55° 14' N, 164° 08' W, 49 fath) a new species L. dlgitatus that differs 

 from L. palearis Gilbert by the presence of four bars along the body and shorter 

 pectoral fins. However, we have examples that in all details are similar to L. 

 palearis from the eastern Bering Sea but have lateral reddish bars along the body 

 that appeared upon preservation. This is noticed in other types also (L. brevipes ) . 

 The shorter pectoral fins we must attribute to the larger size of their single 

 example (about 45 cm). The above data bear out Jordan & Evermann (I.e., 1898, pt. 

 3, p. 2466) contention that Lycodes digitatus Gill & Townsend is the adult of L. 

 palearis Gilbert. 



Below follows a short description of our material. 



D 102-106 A 88 P 17 GUI racers ^^^^^gi^yw) 



Head 17.8-19.9% of TL, eye small 16.0-17.5%, snout measured from front part 

 of eye 28.0-32.6% of head, bony interorbital 0.8-1.0% TL, 4.4-5.5% of head. 



Mandibular flaps separate, compressed, not joined. The thin and high front 

 lobes are pointed anteriorad. Lower lip with a well developed free flap. Upper 

 jaw projecting. Posterior end extends to a vertical from middle or posterior of 

 eye. Teeth on upper jaw main row 12-14, the anteriormost the largest. Inner row 

 2-3 teeth on each side placed on widened portion cf premaxiUary. Lower jaw teeth 

 blunt, conical, smaller anteriorly, forming a plate of disorderly arranged small 

 teeth. Palatine with 8-11 large sharp teeth. Teeth on vomer blunt and conical. 

 Gill rakers on first arch have 2-3 elements on inside and smooth or with one 

 element on outside . 



The body considerably elongate, depth at base of anal fin 8.2-9.3% of length, 

 predor sal 22.2-25.4%, preanal 42.9-44.4%. Scales well developed, small, covering 

 body from nape to vertical from dorsal origin, on abdomen to base of ventral fin. 

 LI is ventrolateral-' (in all subspecies), quite indistinct. Extending from upper 

 edge of gill opening, arching down and back near the end of pectoral (or even before) 

 and disappears . It then appears on middle of body at vertical from anal origin and 

 extends to tail. This form of lateral line is typical to many species but not all its 

 parts are visible in all forms. Therefore, it is possible that the mediolateral 

 portion of the LL was not noticed by Gilbert when stated in the description of L. 

 palearis "Lateral line short, decurved, extending scarcely beyond middle of pectorals" , 



y 



That is, the anterior part arches downward on abdomen but at the vertical from the 

 anus, rises and continues along the middle of the side of the body to the tail. 

 Usually the rising portion is indistinct and has a small break or is absent 

 entirely, giving rise to what most authors describe as two lateral lines. 



55 



