160 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
THE BRANCH-SPINED COTTUS (sw. gkentaggiga ueken °). 
GYMNOCANTHUS VENTRALIS. 
Fig. 46. 
No parietal spines , if we except a protuberance on each side of the hind part of the supraorbital margin; but 
the top of the head , sometimes from the anterior margin of the ege, and the temporal region, sometimes even the 
operculum and the bong ridge of the cheek , more or less closely studded with spinous warts , or at least granulated 
with spinous tubercles h . Length of the head less than 28 % of that of the body'. Length of the maxillary bones 
more than 33 % of that of the head, even in the males'. Distance from the beginning of the first dorsal fin to 
that of the second more than 20 % of the length of the body or than 65 % c of the length of the head; and the 
length of the base of the second dorsal fin more than 89 % of the length of the head. Least breadth of the in- 
terorbital space less than 53 % of the least depth of the tail. Length of the ventral fins, even in the nudes when 
readg to spawn , scarcely more than 22 % of the length of the body, or hardly more than a fifth greater than the 
distance from the insertion of these fins to the beginning of the anal fin. Coloration brownish gray, or still 
darker , on the back; white or yellowish with white spots on the belly ; sides marked with dark transverse bands or 
with high and low spots alternately; dorsal and pectoral Jims with alternate dark {black or brown ) and white 
transverse bands; ventral and anal fins of the same colour as the belly and without spots. 
Fig. 46. Oymnocanthus ventralis, 9, from Mossel Bay (Spitsbergen), taken on a rocky bottom at a depth of between 2 1 ., and 5 fathoms, on 
the 2nd of December, 1872. Natural size. 
R. hr. 6; D. 10 ]. 11 (12)jl5— 17; A. 16—18 (19); 
P. 18 1. 19; V. Osi G. a + (7 1. 8) 9+*; L. lat. (por.) 40—50. 
Syn. Cottus gobio, Fade., Fn. Groenl., p. 159 (vide Reinhakdt). 
Cottus ventralis, Cuv., Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. IV, p. 
194, tab. 79, fig. 1; Swains., ( Gymnocanthus ) 1. c., p. 271; 
Gthk, ( Cottus ) Cat. Brit. Mas., Fish., vol. II, p. 168; Mgrn, 
( Phobetor ), Ofvers. Vet.-Akad. Forli. 1867, p. 259; Coll., 
Vid. Selsk. Forli. Christ. 1874, Tillsegsh., p. 30; 1878, No. 
14, p. 15; Lute., Vid. Meddel. Naturh. For. Ivbhvn 1876, 
p. 363. 
Cottus tricuspis , Reinh., Vid. Selsk. Naturv. Math. Afh. Kbhvn, 
Deel V (1832) Overs., p. LII; ibid., Deel. VII (1838), p. 
117; Kr., ( Phobetor ), Naturh. Tidskr. Kbhvn, 2:den Rtekke, 
vol. I, p. 263; Lillj. {Cottus), Vet.-Akad. Handl. 1850, p. 
309; Njlss., Skand. Fn., Fisk., p. 78; Gti-ir, Cat., 1. c.; 
Malmgr. {Phobetor), Finl. Fisk. (Disp. 1863), p. 11; Id., 
Ofvers. Vet.-Akad. Forli. 1864, No. 10, p. 504. 
Cottus pistilliger, Lime., 1. c., p. 364 (nec Pall.); Bean ( Gym - 
nacantlius) Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 15, p. 127; Coll., 
Norsk. Norclh. Exped., Zool,, Fiske, p. 26; Lillj. {Phobetor), 
Sv., Norg. Fisk., vol. I, p. 118. 
Acunthocottus pair is, Stoker, Best. Journ. Nat. Hist., vol. VI, 
p. 250, tab. VII, fig. 2. 
Gymnacantlius galeat.us, Bean, Proc. IT. S. Nat. Mus., vol. IV 
(1881), p. 153. 
“ Lilljeborg, 1. e. 
During youth — in specimens less than 50 mm. in length — this character is, however, in most cases not yet developed. 
c The same remark applies to this character as to the preceding one. 
