Jordan and Ever mann. Fishes of North America. 1997 



in spines, but bear small cirri similar to those above eye. Like tbe latter, 

 they may be indistinct or wanting. Maxillary reaching vertical from 

 posterior margin of pupil, 2= in head; eye 3|, slightly exceeding snout. 

 Nasal spines very strong. Two short spines diverge from angle of pre- 

 opercle, the upper one slightly curved, directed upward and backward, 

 4 the diameter of orbit, the lower directed straight backward, the 

 length of the upper one. Below these a short spiiions projection con- 

 cealed in the skin, and a longer spine directed downward and forward; 

 opercle with 3 lengthwise ridges, the uppermost ending in a definite sharp 

 spine; snbopercular spine well developed; 1 also at posterior end of inter- 

 opercle, and 1 at shoulder. Gill membranes broadly joined to isthmus, 

 Avith a wide free fold posteriorly; a lew small prickly plates behind axil 

 of peetorals; skin otherwise smooth; occiput and nape thickly covered 

 with minute dermal papilla*, interspersed with very small mucous pores, 

 which are distributed also over the anterior part of the head; pores on 

 mandible and preopercular margin small, not better developed than in 

 other species of I'tn'ocolhtn. Lateral line giving off pairs of short diverg- 

 ing branches, at the tips of which are the pores. Dorsals connected at 

 extreme base: soft dorsal terminating slightly behind the anal; fins all 

 low; ventrals reaching tent; pectorals to opposite third ray of anal. 

 Color in spirits: Upper parts brownish, with 2 very conspicuous white 

 saddle-shaped bars extending downward and forward from back, the 

 first, about as wide as orbit, extending from below the dorsal notch in a 

 straight line toward lower axil of pectorals, including above, the posterior 

 margin of spinous dorsal, and the extreme basal portion of first rays of 

 soft dorsal ; the second bar including dorsally the terminal portion of soft 

 dorsal onto which it extends, and the anterior portion of caudal peduncle; 

 like the anterior bar, it is variable in width, extending forward and down- 

 ward to below caudal peduncle; the ground color becoming intensified 

 along the margins of these light bars ; caudal with a light basal bar which 

 becomes widened and pure white in its lower half, adding to the series 

 of conspicuous light markings; in some specimens, these white bars are 

 tinged with brownish, hence less conspicuous; under parts whitish; lips 

 and lower jaw with light and dark cross bars, which are often indistinct; 

 branchiostegal membranes sometimes with indistinct cross bars; the 

 darker interspaces below soft dorsal and on caudal peduncle usually 

 encircle the body below, but are sometimes (in males) broken on middle 

 of sides with spots and blotches of white (see figure in Nelson's report 

 cited below); axil of pectorals usually with 2 round white spots, most 

 distinct in males; basal portion of anterior face of pectorals dusky or 

 black, in males with 2 round white spots; fin distally barred with light 

 and dark; caudal cross barred ; anal and ventrals with faint crossbars, 

 or plain; dorsal blackish. Taken abundantly in Bristol Bay, Bering Sea, 

 and neighboring parts of the Arctic, in depths 5 to 17 fathoms. We are 

 unable to follow Dr. Bean in identifying this fish with Porocottus quadri- 

 filis, Gill (Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1859, 166). The latter is described 

 as having a single hooked preopercular spine, an opercle without rib or 

 spine, and large pores on head and lower jaw. None of these applies to 



