I.YUWHN.].;. 



83 



The height over the anus is 4,1 5 ,, of the total length The head, whose 

 length is 12,9—13,3 % of the total length, is not particularly broad, the trunk is some- 

 what compressed; the tail becomes much compressed and loses gradually in height 

 towards the end. The lower jaw extends almost to the end of the upper. 7 pits for 

 the lateral line along the upper jaw and under the eye. The distance between the 

 snout and the anus is 27,6— 30,4 °/ of the total length. The distance of the dorsal 

 fin from the snout is 17,6—18,2 °/ of the total length. The colour uniform yellow- 

 brown. The scales are distributed over the tail and trunk, whilst the head and fins 

 are naked. Lateral line double, divided into a ventral and mediolateral branch, the 

 latter however frequently indistinct. Pyloric appendages not developed. Size 

 181 mm. 



I). 1 1 S— 126. A. 100— 104 1 ). P. 13—15. 



Distribution. The cold area off west Norway, east from Iceland, and in the 

 Fceroe Channel; 340 620 fathoms. 



Remarks on the Synonymy. 



Lycodes murcena was established by Collett for a 140 mm. long specimen of an elongated Lycodes, which the North- 

 Atlantic Expedition of 1S77 took in the ice-cold waters off Helgeland in Norway, at 350 fathoms depth. In 1S7S. off Bear 

 Island and Spitzbergen, in ice-cold water and from depths of 459 — 65S fathoms, the North-Atlantic Expedition got 3 other 

 specimens (112— 198 mm. I likewise of a very elongated Lycode, which Collett referred to the same species, .is he considered 

 certain differences as less essential and a sign of the variability of the species. From a study of the figures 29, 30 and -,\ oi 

 the chief publication of the North-Atlantic Expedition's Fishes 1 got however the impression that if the figures were 



correct — they could not belong to one and the same species: figs. 29 and 31 must represent another species than fig. v.. 

 which formed the type-specimen from the 1S77 cruise of the North-Atlantic Expedition. 



After I had had the opportunity, through the kindness of Prof. Collett, to examine 2 of the specimen-, of the 

 North-Atlantic Expedition, namely the type-specimen from 1S77 and one of the specimens (not figured] from 1S7S, my pre- 

 supposition became a certainty: the specimens from the 1S7S cruise of the North-Atlantic Expedition ought to form a species 

 by themselves, belonging to the genus Lycodouus Goode & Bean icf. p. 95) and this I proposed to name /.. flagellica 

 To this form further are to be referred, the specimens obtained by the English expeditions of the Knight Errant and 

 Triton in the Faeroe Channel, and which Giinther referred to Lycodes murcena Coll. (the figures in Chall. Report leave no 

 doubt about the matter), and also the specimens from the Ingolf Expedition referred to /.. murcena Coll., which were taken 

 north of the Iceland-Faeroe ridge-). Of the true Lycodes murana*, which might to be referred to the genus Lycena 

 Gill, only the type-specimen was known until a short time ago, but during the revision of my manuscript 1 have further been 

 able to study 2 specimens, taken by the Michael Sars , the one (145 mm. long in 1900 K. from Iceland, the other (18] mm. 

 long) in 1902 in the Faeroe Channel. 



A detailed comparison will vindicate the necessity of the intended separation. 



Comparison between Lycenchelys mtircena Coll. and Lycodonus flagellicatida in. 

 The form of the body is throughout more elongated in L. flagellicatida ; in /.. murcena 

 namely, the height over the anus is 4,1 -5% of the total length, in specimens of L. flagellicauda "I 

 similar size 3,4 — 4,4 " ,,. In other regards also the form is essentially different. /.. murcena is a com- 

 pressed form: the trunk is alreadv (if not distended by sexual products) somewhat thinner than high, and 

 the tail quickly becomes strongly compressed; close behind the anus, the thickness is to the height 



M According to Collett 1 1. 11S, A. 100; according to ni\ observations 111 another specimen I 1 126, A 

 1 lint not the large specimen from Davis Strait-., because it forms a distinct species both from L. murana and from 

 L. flagellicauda : Lycenchelys ingolfianus (see p. 001. Nor the young specimen from the Atlantic S. from Iceland; though it 

 stands very close to L flagellicauda, it represents in my opinion quite a separate species: Lycodonus ophidium (d p 



1 



