110 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
Genus SCOMBER. 
Body an elongated fusiform or shorter and somewhat compressed ( perciform ). Scales of fairly uniform size 
distributed over the body, in the preabdominal region only slightly , but generally distinctly , larger than on the 
hind parts. Dorsal fins quite distinct , often far apart; the first more or less triangular , the second set almost 
vertically above the anal fin and corresponding to it in other respects too. Finlets behind the dorsal and 
anal fins usually 5, sometimes 4 or 6. In front of the anal fin one free, spinous ray. Pectoral fins set fairly 
high , at least the upper part of their insertion on a level with the pupil. Eyes comparatively large , but covered 
anteriorly and posteriorly by a well-developed adipose lid. Preorbital bone broad, completely covering the upper jaw- 
bone, when the mouth, is closed. Small teeth, which are sometimes scarcely distinguishable and sometimes disappear, 
on the jaws, the head of the vomer and the palatine bones. On each side of the end of the tail, at the base of 
the caudal fin tiro lateral carince converging posteriorly and covered by a row of pointed dermal flaps , between 
which oblong , linguiform scales are set. No middle carina on the tail. Numerous, but free , pyloric appendages. 
Most of the species belonging to this genus may 
easily be distinguished at the first- glance from the 
other numbers of the family by the distinct scales of 
fairly equal size on the body, in conjunction with the 
wide separation of the dorsal fins. In the latter re- 
spect these Mackerels resemble only the preceding ge- 
nus. But the genus Scomber also contains forms, e. g. 
Scomber kanagurta from the Red Sea and the Indian 
Ocean, in which the dorsal fins are nearer each other, 
or at least the groove of the first dorsal extends so 
far back as to reduce the distance between it and the 
second dorsal to about 1 / 5 of the length of the first- 
dorsal, thus depriving this distance of its value as a 
generic character. In this capacity the high develop- 
ment of the preorbital bone, the comparatively large 
size of the eyes and the unimportance of the difference 
in the size of the scales on the pectoral region and 
the hind parts of the body, are far safer guides. From 
the large size of the eyes and the comparatively small 
number of the finlets we may conclude that the genus 
Scomber occupies a lower rank in the scale of develop- 
ment of the family than the preceding genera. 
Of this genus, according to Gunther", no more 
than 7 species are known 6 . Only one of them belongs 
t-o the Scandinavian fauna. 
THE MACKEREL. 
SCOMBER SCOMBRUS. 
Plate V, fig. 2. 
Back bluish green with a dash of brassy yellow and wavy, black, transverse bands; below the limit of the dorsal 
colouring we often find a longitudinal row of dark spots, sometimes coalescent. Length of the suture between the 
suboperculum and interoperculum more than half of that between the former and the operculum. Scales on the 
hind parts of the body extremely small, much more so than in the region of the pectoral fins. No air-bladder. 
R. br. 7; D. 10 — 12/— — — /V. 1. VI; A. 1 /- -/IV 1. V; 
'8 — 10 ’ ' 8 — 11 ' 
P. 1 1. 2 + 17—19; V. -; G. a- +15 1. 16 + x. 
5 
Syn. Scomber No. 1, Art. Gen., p. 30; Syn ., p. 48; Spec., p. 68. 
Scomber scombrus, Lin., Syst. Nat., ed. X, tom. I, p. 297; PiETZ. 
Fn. Suec. Lin., p. 339; Ascan., Icon. Rer. Nat., part. 1, p. 4, 
tab. Ill; Cuv., Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. VIII, p. 6; 
Nilss., Prodr. Ichth. Scand., p. 83; Kk0Y., Damn. Fiske , 
vol. I, p. 220; Nordm., Demid. Voy. Russ. Mer., p. 391; 
Wright, Fries, Ekstr., Slcatid. Fiskar, ed. 1, p. 128, tab. 
29; Nilss., Stand. Fn. Fisk., p. 129; Lillj., Ups. Univ. 
Inbjudn. 4 Nov. 1864, p. 7; Lindstr6m, Gotti. Lans Hush. - 
Still sk . Arsber. 1866, p. 25 (sep.); Malmgr., Ofvers. Vet.- 
Akad. Forh. 1867, No. 25, p. 260; Esmarck, Forh. Naturf. 
“ Introd. Study Fish., p. 457 ; Handb. Ichthyol., p. 323. 
b According to Steindaciiner’s opinion that Scomber pneumatophorus and Sc. colias belong to the same species, the number of spe- 
cies known within the genus is reduced to 6. 
