THE LUMPSUCKER; ITS RELATIONSHIP AND HABITS 



By THEODORE GILL 

 One of the most interesting of fishes from several points of view 

 is the common Lumpsucker of the North Atlantic. Its skeleton is 

 cartilaginous to such an extent that it was ranked by the old natural- 

 ists with the cartilaginous fishes; by later naturalists, although re- 

 ferred to the bony fishes, it was associated with forms subsequently 

 found to be in no wise related, and not until quite recently has 

 its true relationship been discovered and proved ; it exemplifies a 

 certain phase of retrograde development. It is at once the type of a 

 peculiar genus (Cyclopterus) and a very distinct family (Cyclop- 

 terids) . 



I 



The Cyclopterids, or Lumpsuckers, have a short, swollen, oviform 

 body, large abdominal cavity, a circular sucker formed by the united 



Fig. 32. — Skeleton. — Scapular arch and pelvis of the Lumpfish, the right- 

 hand figures representing the external surface, the left-hand figures the 

 internal surface of those bones. After Borckert. 



a, actinosts 1-4. 



hypr, hypercoracoid. 



hypo, hypocoracoid. 



is, interscapula. 



pi, Anterior pointed process. 



p2, Anterior broad process. 



/>3, lateral process. 

 pel, postclavicle. 

 prt, posterotemporal. 



pt, posttemporal. 



ps, proscapula (ccenosteon). 



1-6, ventral rays. 



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