LVCODIN.K. n 



Body moderately elongated (zoarciform), height over the anus ca. 7 - 1 2 ! , times 

 in the total length. Teetli on the intermaxillary and mandible, vomer and palatines. 

 Underjaw without barbules. Scales small, covering a greater or less part of the trunk 

 and tail, sometimes wanting'. Lateral line ventral or mediolateral or both medio- 

 lateral and ventral. Branchiostegal rays 6. 



The characters which are of special importance fur distinguishing between the numerous 

 species of this genus have been mentioned in detail in the introduction (p. 3 — 7). A detailed diagnosis 

 is given under each species and I shall here endeavour (p. 11 — 12) to draw up a Key for the deter- 

 mination of the North European and Greenland species - the many difficulties in the way of separa- 

 ting such nearly allied species must be the excuse for the apparent shortcomings. 



Tentative key for the determination of the European and Greenland species ' 1 (and varieties) of Lycodes. 



I. Vahlii-esmarkii group: Lateral line ventral or both ventral and mediolateral. Distance between 

 the snout and the anus 30,5 -45 (47)% of the total length. D. 94—118; A. Si 102. 



A. Lateral line single, ventral. 



a. Rays in the pectoral fins 23. (East coast of North America; 516 — 1423 fathoms). 



L, atlanticus -Jensen; p. 25. 



b. Rays in the pectoral fins 17—21. 



1. Colour (at all ages) uniform, without spots or bands. (Polar Depths from Spitzbergeu to 

 Iceland and Fseroe Isles; (260?) 450 -1455 fathoms). L.frigidus Coll.; p. 22. 



2. Body with dark cross-bauds, in adults ring-shaped markings or more uniform; in the 

 anterior corner of the dorsal fin almost always one or more dark spots. (Kattegat, 

 Skager Rak, Norway, Iceland, southerly West-Greenland; 30—300 fathoms). 



L. vahlii Reinh.; p. 13. 



B. Lateral line double, ventral and mediolateral. 



a. Body naked. (Polar Depths between Jan Mayeu and Iceland; 1010 fathoms). 



L. p la tyrhinus Jensen; p. 31. 



b. Body with scales. 



a. Pyloric appendages absent. Rays in the pectoral fins 22 — 23, in the dorsal [13— 118, in 

 the anal 97 — 102. Hind-margin of pectoral not indented. (Finmark and towards Bear Island. 

 Norway-Shetland Slope, Fteroe Channel, east of the F;eroes, Faeroe-Iceland Ridge, east of 

 Iceland, Nova Scotia; 150 -300 (620) fathoms). /.. esmarkii Coll.; p. 27. 



j. Pyloric appendages present. Rays in the pectoral fins 2o-22{2^,l in the dorsal coo— 103, 

 in the anal 88—92. Hind-margin of pectoral indented. (Polar Depths west from Norway, 

 north from the Fceroe Isles and east from Iceland, Spitzbergeu, northerly East- and West- 

 Greenland; 150— 470 fathoms). L. eudipleurostictus Jensen; p. 33. 



>) A North American species, L. atlanticus Jensen, is included in the key because I know it at first hand. /.. micro 

 cephalus Jensen (from the Atlantic Ocean south from Iceland, 799 fathoms; y. 53) is omitted, because the course of the lab 

 line in this species cannot be determined with certainty — only one small specimen being known; for the rest, it is easih 

 distinguished from all the above species by reason of its small head, which is onh 17.;, " of the total length. 



