Jorda n and Everman n . Fishes of North A mcrica . 2041 



ing. Lateral line with lew widely spaced pairs of pores, those of each pair approximated 

 and horizontally instead of vertically placed. The interspaces bear in the posterior part 

 of the body a minute prickle each; in the case of the 2 or 3 anterior pairs, these become 

 very strong spines, nearly on a line with the incomplete upper lateral series of plates. 

 Anus anterior, nearly midway between base of ventrals and front of anal. First dorsal 

 spine vertically over upper axil of pectoral. The fin is rigidly spread in alcoholic speci- 

 mens; the third and fourth spines are longest and about equal length of snout and eye; 

 interspace between dorsals equaling length of orbit; anal much longer than second 

 dorsal, its first ray under last dorsal spine, its last ray slightly in advance of the last ray 

 of soft dorsal; anal membranes deeply incised, especially anteriorly. Caudal short, 

 rounded; pectoral of 2 distinct divisions, the upper portion consisting of 4 or 5 rays 

 joined by membrane; the lower part of 8 entirely disconnected rays. These upper and 

 lower portions of the fin are used alternately in pushing the fish forward on the bottom, 

 the upper lobe being downward and forward for the purpose. In the aquarium, the fish 

 appears to walk, resting alternately on the upper and lower pectoral rays and on the front 

 rays of the anal ; the longest pectoral rays reach to or just beyond front of anal ; ventrals 

 short, not reaching vent in females, reaching to or slightly beyond vent in males. D. IX 

 to X I, 6 or 7 ; A. 9 or 10 ; P. 13 or 14 ; V. I, 2 ; C. 13. Vertebra) 8 + 28. Lateral line 7 to 9. 

 Color; blackish or greyish violet, paler below; breast and belly in front of vent marbled 

 with darker; anterior part of sides, to opposite last dorsal spines dark, the darker region 

 limited by a still darker band which runs up on the fin ; posterior part of body paler, 

 usually with 3 darker cross bars, the last of which often broadens out to occupy all of the 

 caudal peduncle; caudal with a dark bar at base and another at posterior margin, the 

 extreme edge white; the dark vertical bars continued onto the anal fin, the rays also 

 spotted with back near tips ; ventrals with a black bar or spot at base ; sometimes a 

 second on middle of fin ; pectorals indefinitely cross-barred, largely pale on basal portion ; 

 color varying greatly, the lighter areas on body and fins often with dusky marblings. 

 (Gilbert.) (quatuor, four; cornu, horn.) 



Aspidophorus quadricornis, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., iv, 221, 1829, 

 Kamchatka. (Coll. Dr. Collee. Type in British Museum.) 



Hypsagonu* (Oheiragonus) gradiens, HERZENSTEIN, Bull. Acad. Imp. des Sci. de St. Petersb., 

 tome xin, 116, May 29, 1890, Kamchatka, Sinus Awatska, Port Petropaulski. 



Agonus quadricomis, GUNTHER, Cat., n, 215, 1860. . 



Hypsagonus quadricomis, GILL, Proc. Ac Nat. Sci. Phila., xui, 1861, 167 ; JORDAN & GIL- 

 BERT, Synopsis, 722, 1883 ; GILBERT, Kept. U. S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 439. 



762. STELLERINA, Cramer. 



Stellerina, CRAMER, in JORDAN & EVERMANN, Check-List Fishes, 447, 1896 (xyosternus). 



Body moderately elongate, tapering uniformly from head to caudal, 

 8-hedral, subterete, a little depressed anteriorly, depth about 7, width 

 about 6 injength; head 4, tapering but little forward; profile of head 

 and snout in straight line with back. Plates in dorsal series about 35; 

 between occiput and first dorsal 6 or 7 pairs. Plates of body spinous ; 

 breast covered with radially striated prickles. Mouth very oblique, the 

 snout short, not tubular, lower jaw protruding, entering profile; teeth 

 small, in few rows on jaws, none on vomer or palatines. A barbel at tip 

 of each maxillary. No median rostral plate. Nasal spines small; no 

 supraocular or occipital spines. Gill membranes united, free from the 

 isthmus. Anal long. (Named for Georg Wilhelm Steller, naturalist and 

 explorer, the first to study the fishes of Bering Sea.) 

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