2090 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 



Sea, at 55 fathoms ; Barents Bay, Nova Zembla. (Eu.) The Dutch expedi- 

 tion took 15 specimens of this form in Barents Bay and probably confused 

 it with A. monopterygius. Their length Avas 40 to 75 mm. Later, on the 

 Fylla expedition, Holm took 9 specimens in Davis Strait on the whitefish 

 banks north of Holstenborg at a depth of 32 fathoms. Their length varied 

 from 62 to 86 mm. The dark color bands in these are more or less distinct, 

 at least among the smaller specimens. The ventrals varied a little in 

 length, those with the short ventrals apparently in a decided minority. 

 The small barbels were present in all of them. Rays of dorsal and anal 

 fins: D. 6; A. 6 (3 specimens) ; D. 6; A. 7 (1 specimen) ; D.5; A. 6(1 exam- 

 ple); D. 6; A. 5 (1 example); D. 7; A. 6 (3 examples). That the white 

 patch on the dorsal (and anal and ventral) is invariably present on the 

 individuals with longer ventrals is undeniable. The assumption that 

 it is a sexual distinction of the male thus gains probability; this was 

 demonstrated in the specimens that were opened. Total length 63 to 69 

 mm. (4 individuals). (Liitken.) 



Aspidophoroides olriki, LUTKEN, Forelob. Meddel.om Nord.TTlkefiske; Vidensk. Meddel. 

 Naturhist. Foren. Kjob. 386 (with. 3 figures), 1876, Greenland; JORDAN, Cat. Fishes 1ST. 

 A. ,113, 1885; LUTKEN,* Kara-Havets Fishe, 6, pi. 15, figs. 1-3, 1886; specimens from 

 Kara Sea. 



2430. ASPIDOPHOROIDES GUNTHERI, Bean. 



D. 7; A. 7; V. I, 2; C. 10; P. 12. Body short, anteriorly very wide, some- 

 what depressed. Height of body 6, and its width 5 in its length ; head 

 4, its depth not more than of its width, the latter nearly 5 in length of 

 body; triangular, very short, wide posteriorly. A small barbel at tip of 

 each maxillary ; teeth in jaws, vomer, and palatines; nasal spines almost 

 invisible. Along sides of head inferiorly 4 large mucous pores in oblong 

 depressions, the largest of which is nearly as long as snout. Eye 3 in 

 head, considerably more than width of interorbital space. Maxillary 

 not reaching beyond anterior border of orbit; mandible barely included ; 

 snout equaling interorbital space, the latter deeply concave. Greatest 

 width of head nearly 5 in length of body, and 2 from beginning of dorsal 

 to base of caudal. Gill membranes narrowly attached to isthmus ante- 

 riorly, free posteriorly; gill opening wide. A deep groove along anterior 

 third of back. Pectorals 2 times as long as ventrals and 4 in length of 



* The following is the substance of Dr. Liitken's original account from specimens from 

 Greenland: Body short, thick, total length 72 to 75 mm. ; head 4 in total length (includ- 

 ing caudal fin) ; width of body (at base of pectorals) a little more than 5 in total length; 



teeth present on vomer and palatines; only 8 longitudinal series of plates, the lateral line 

 on the superior lateral series; the ventrolateral series not forming the inferior angles of 

 the body, but confined to the ventral surface and meeting in a single plate between ven- 

 trals and vent. 



The above diagnosis, made in 1875 from the Greenland specimens taken from the stomachs 

 of flounders, was not accompanied by a detailed description. The description was made 

 ten years later from specimens taken in the Kara Sea. The figures of the individuals 

 from Kara Sea differ from the figures of specimens from Greenland in several respects. 

 On the former the anterior part of the back just behind the nape is more elevated ; the 

 rostral spines are directed much more backward and seem much less prominent ; and there 

 is 1 less median plate on breast (this last ditierence an individual one in other species). 

 The gill membranes are probably free, at least behind. 



