Jordan and Evermann, Fishes of North America. 2103 



head, prominent above the outline of the forehead. Gill opening very 

 small, covered by the spine-like angle of the opercle, at a distance above 

 the base of the pectoral equal to about twice its own width. Skin cov- 

 ered with mucus, with 4 series of very small, distant, 1- to 8-spined 

 tubercles on each side ; 1 series on each side of the median line of the 

 forehead along the sides of the bases of the dorsals, another from each 

 orbital ridge backward on the flank parallel with the first, another 

 behind each eye, and the fourth at the lower edge of the gill opening; 

 below the last series the skin is quite bare. Ventral disk as long as the 

 head, as broad as long, or broader, nearly twice as far from the caudal as 

 from the mouth. Dorsal fins very thick at their bases, enveloped in loose 

 skin through which the rays may be distinguished, separated by an inter- 

 space, the first higher, originating above the gill opening; base of the 

 second higher in front, and the posterior rays more free from the thick 

 skin. (The extremities of the rays are all weak, and in most cases have 

 been carried away. That the caudal fin was pointed is indicated by the 

 strength of the median rays ; in other words, the fin was longer in the 

 middle. ) Pectorals broad, rounded in the upper part posteriorly, reaching 

 as far backward as the hinder edge of the disk; lower border but little 

 indented, if at all, with ends of rays prolonged as a short fringe. Color 

 brown, approaching a chocolate ; belly light ; a dark brown blotch between 

 the eyes, another from each eye through anterior nostril to mouth, 1 below 

 eye to throat, 1 or 2 back of eye on opercle, a larger one behind gill open- 

 ing, several small ones close along bases of dorsals, and an elongate band 

 011 the hinder part of flank and on base of caudal portion; peculiar marks 

 exist in a brown blotch, on each side of hinder part of abdomen, on 

 which is a bunch of 3 white spots like a clover leaf, in a white band, 

 reaching toward the flank at each side of hinder margin of disk, and in 

 a white spot at posterior ends of branchiostegal rays. Total length a 

 little less than 2 inches. St. Paul Island, Alaska (Garman); the young 

 taken by us in the harbor of Unalaska. (yvpivb^ tadpole; G^, appear- 

 ance.) 



Gyclopteroidesgyrinops, GARMAN, Mon. Discoboli, in Memoirs Mus. Comp. Zool., Cambridge, 

 37, 1892, St. Paul Island, Alaska. 



782. CYCLOPTERICHTHYS, Steindachner. 



Cyclopterichthyn, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitrage, x, 14, 1881 (glaber = ventricosus) . 



Body short and thick, rounded, covered with thick, smooth skin, desti- 

 tute of bony tubercles ; tail slender, compressed, the body abruptly con- 

 tracted to its base; head broad, obtuse; mouth oblique, the lower jaw 

 prominent; teeth rather small, simple, hooked, sharp, in 2 rows anteriorly; 

 pseudobranchire large; gills 3-J-; suborbital connected by a bony stay with 

 the preopercle; gill opening small, above the base of the pectoral, which 

 is broad and procurreut; ventral disk moderate, fringed. Dorsal short 

 and high, of soft rays only, opposite the short anal, both well separated 

 from the small caudal. (Cyclopterus; iifiv^ fish.) 



