236 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
THE SPOTTED SEA-CAT (sw. tigerflackade hafkatten). 
ANARRHICHAS MINOR. 
Plate XIII, fig. 1. 
Length of the pectoral fins more than 13 % of that of the body. Low of vomerine teeth longer than any of the 
palatine rows. The dorsal fin ends in a suddenly depressed , lower part, which extends to the base of the caudal 
fin ( the last 3 — 6 spinous rays are uniform in length, but short, and the next 14 — 12 rays in front of them, 
anteriorly diminishing in stiffness, but increasing in length, form a curve in the fin margin like that in the pre- 
ceding species). Top of the frontal bones behind the eyes about equal in breadth to the inter orbital space. Color- 
ation brownish or yellowish , with large, blackish brown spots. 
R. br. 7; D. 74—78; A. 45—47; P. 21—22°; V. 0; 
C. x + 12 — 14 + x\ Vert. 78 1. 79. 
Syn. Hlyre og Steinbits-Broder , Anarrhichas (minor) maculis nigris 
rotundis totus conspersus, Olafsen, Reise Isl., vol. I, p. 
592, tab. XLII; An. minor , Mull., Zool. Ban. Prodr., p. 
40; Fabr., Fn. Groenl., p. 139; Mohr., Isl. Naturli., p. 
64; Steenstr., Vid. Meddel. Naturli. For. Kbhvn, 1876, p. 
200, tab. Ill, fig. 2; Coll., Vid. Selsk. Forh. Christ., 1879, 
No. 1, p. 45; Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 11 (1879), 
p. 217; Sp. Schneid., Tromso Mus. Aarsber. 1882, p. 21; 
Jord., Gjlb., Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 16, p. 781; Lillj., 
Sv., Norg. Fiskar, vol. I, p. 540. 
Anarrhichas pantherinus, Zouiew, Acta Acad. Sc. Petrop. 1781, 
part. I, p. 271, tab. VI; Mgrn, Finl. Fisk, (disp.), p. 23; 
Esm., Forh. Skand. Naturf. Mode Christ. 1868, p. 524; 
Coll., Forh. Vid. Selsk. Christ., 1874, Tillaegsh., p. 70. 
Anarrhichas leopardus, Ag., Gen., Spec. Pise. Bras (Sp., Mart.) 
p. 93, tab. LI (vide Steenstr., Vid. Meddel. Naturli. For. 
Kbhvn 1877, p. 109). 
Anarrhichas Eggerti, Steenstr., Forh. Skand. Naturf. Mote, 
Sthlm 1842, p. 647. 
As Steenstrup lias pointed out, the specific name 
{minor) by no means denotes that the Spotted Sea-cat 
{Flek- Steenbit , on Vardo) is smaller than the other spe- 
cies of the genus * 6 . On the contrary, this species, 
according to Esmark, is the largest of all, attaining a 
length of 2 yards (18 dm.). In external shape it is 
so like the preceding species that a special description 
seems hardly necessary, seeing that tve can refer to the 
figure arid the above specific diagnosis. The colouring 
of the body, the structure of the end of the dorsal fin 
and the form of the skull are the main differences; but 
even Olafsen and Mohr also knew that the Spotted 
Sea-cat has smaller jaw-teeth and palatine teeth, which 
are more pointed, or, at all events, not so depressed 
at the top. In this respect the Spotted Sea-cat is an 
intermediate form between the preceding and the fol- 
lowing species; and Steenstrup has shown that this 
reduction in the strength of the dental equipment is 
accompanied by a diminution of the surface of origin 
for the masticatory and respiratory muscles, on the 
sides of the posterior frontal region, the length of which 
is here less than the diameter of the orbit (in the pre- 
ceding species about equal to it). 
No external difference of sex is known in this 
species, any more than in the preceding one: but that 
there is such a difference, seems more than probable, 
considering the great individual variations which meet 
us, both in the ground-colour of the body and in the 
position and extent of the anal fin. Of the two spe- 
cimens presented to the Royal Museum by Baron Nor- 
denskiold, from Dickson’s second expedition to Green- 
land, the one, which is 68 cm. long, is of a ground- 
colour best described as chocolate, all over the body, 
here and there with a dash of yellow; while the di- 
stance from the anal fin to the tip of the snout is 
nearly 45 % of the length of the body. In the other 
specimen, which is 82 cm. long, the ground-colour of 
the hind part of the body is grayish-yellow, while the 
front part is more chocolate- coloured; and the distance 
from the anal fin to the tip of the snout is 49 % of 
the length of the body. The dark spots are blackish 
brown in both specimens, the condition of which, how- 
ever, is such that it is now impossible to determine 
their sex. This was also unfortunately the case with 
a specimen extraordinarily well-preserved in external 
respects, which the Royal Museum received through Mr. 
Sparre-Schneider, from Vadso, and which was the 
“ According to Lilljeborg 24. 
6 “The term Minor here means Brother or younger Brother, as in the famous classical names Cato minor" etc. 
