II. The Northern Temperate Zone.
A. Shore Fishes of the Temperate North Atlantic.
This part of the fauna may be subdivided into three districts:—
1. The fishes of the north-eastern shores, viz. of the British islands, of Scandinavia so far as it is not included in the Arctic fauna, and of the continent of Europe southwards to about 40° of lat. N.—British district.
2. The fishes of the Mediterranean shores and of the adjoining shores of the Atlantic, including the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands—Mediterranean district.
3. The fishes of the western shores, from 60° lat. N. to about 30° lat. N.—the North American district.
1. The British district shows scarcely any marked distinctive features; the character of its fauna is simply intermediate between that of the Arctic Ocean and the Mediterranean district; truly Arctic forms disappear, while such as are also found in the Mediterranean make their appearance. Also with regard to the abundance of individuals and variety of fishes this district forms a transition from the north towards the south.
Besides the few Arctic Chondropterygians, all of which extend into this district, the small shore Dog-fishes are well represented (Mustelus, Galeus, Scyllium, Pristiurus); the ubiquitous Rhina or Monk-fish is common; of Rays, Raja predominates in a variety of species over Torpedo and Trygon, which are still scarce.
Of Acanthopterygians, Centridermichthys, Icelus, Triglops, and Aspidophoroides, do not extend from the north into this district; and Cottus, Anarrhichas, Centronotus, Stichæus, the Discoboli disappear within its limits. Nearly all the remainder are genera which are also found in the Mediterranean districts. The following are the principal forms, and known to propagate on these shores: Labrax; Serranus, Polyprion, Dentex; Mullus; Cantharus, Pagrus, Pagellus; Sebastes; Cottus, Trigla, Agonus; Trachinus; Sciæna (?); Zeus; Trachurus, Capros; Callionymus; Discoboli; Lophius; Anarrhichas, Centronotus, Stichæus; Blenniops, Zoarces (not in Mediterranean); Cepola; Lepadogaster.
Of the Anacanthini the Gadoids are as numerous as in the Arctic Ocean, most being common to both districts; they are represented by Gadus, Gadiculus, Merluccius, Phycis, Molva, Motella, Raniceps, and Brosmius; but, whilst the majority show their northern origin by not extending into the Mediterranean, Ammodytes and most Pleuronectidæ prove themselves to be the more southern representatives of this order. In the British district we find Hippoglossus, Hippoglossoides, Rhombus, Phrynorhombus, Pleuronectes, Solea, and only the two first are not met with in the Mediterranean.
Labroids are common; with the exception of the North American Tautoga, all the other genera are met with.
Physostomes are not well represented, viz. by one species of Osmerus, one of Engraulis, one of Conger, and about five of Clupea.
Syngnathus and Nerophis become more common as we proceed southwards; but the existence of Scleroderms and Plectognaths is indicated by single individuals only, stragglers from their southern home, and unable to establish themselves in a climate ungenial to them.
The Gadoids are accompanied by Myxine; and Branchiostoma may be found in all suitable localities.
2. The Mediterranean district is distinguished by a great variety of forms; yet, with the exception of a few genera established for single species, none of the forms can be considered peculiar to it; and even that small number of peculiar genera is more and more diminished as our knowledge of the distribution of fishes advances. Some genera are identical with those found on the western coasts of the Atlantic and in the West Indies; but a most remarkable and unexpected affinity obtains with another very distant fauna, viz. that of Japan. The number of genera common to the Mediterranean district and the Japanese coasts is larger than that of the genera common to the Mediterranean and the opposite American coasts.
The Chondropterygians found in the British district continue in the Mediterranean, their number being increased by Centrina, Spinax, Pteroplatea, and some species of Rhinobatus, a genus more numerously represented in the Tropics. Torpedo and Trygon are common.
The greatest variety belong to the Acanthopterygians, as will be seen from the following list:—Labrax; Anthias, Serranus, Polyprion, Apogon, Pomatomus, Pristipoma, Diagramma (an Indian genus with two Mediterranean species, and otherwise not represented in the Atlantic), Dentex, Mæna, Smaris; Mullus; Cantharus, Box, Scatharxs, Oblata, Sargus, Pagrus, Pagellus, Chrysophrys; Sebastes, Scorpæna; Hoplostethus, Beryx, Polymixia; Trigla, Lepidotrigla, Agonus, Peristethus; Trachinus, Uranoscopus; Umbrina, Sciæna; Sphyræna; Aphanopus, Lepidopus, Nesiarchus, Trichiurus, Thyrsites; Cubiceps; Zeus, Cyttus; Stromateus; Trachurus, Caranx, Capros, Diretmus, Antigonia; Callionymus; Batrachus; Lophius; Cristiceps, Tripterygium; Cepola; Lepadogaster; Centriscus; Notacanthus.
The Labridæ are as common as, or even more so than, in the British district, and represented by the same genera. But, besides, some other Pharyngognaths, properly belonging to the Tropical Atlantic, have fully established themselves, though only by a few species, viz. Glyphidodon and Heliastes; Cossyphus, Novacula, Julis, Coris, and Scarus.
The Gadoids show a marked decrease of development; and the species of Gadus, Gadiculus, Mora, Strinsia, Phycis, and Molva, which are peculiar to the Mediterranean, seem to inhabit rather the colder water of moderate depths, than the surface near the shore. Motella, however, proves to be a true Shore fish also in the Mediterranean, at least in its adult state. Ophidium and Fierasfer appear now besides Ammodytes. As the Gadoids decrease, so the Pleuronectidæ increase, the genera of the Mediterranean district being Rhombus, Phrynorhombus, Arnoglossus, Citharus, Rhomboidichthys, Pleuronectes (a northern genus not extending farther southwards), Solea, Synaptura, and Ammopleurops.
The variety of Physostomes is small; the following only being superadded to those of the British district:—Saurus (a tropical genus), Aulopus; Congromuræna, Heteroconger, Myrus, Ophichthys, Muræna.
The Lophobranchs are more numerous in species and individuals than in the British district; and, besides Syngnathus and Nerophis, several species of Hippocampus are common. Also a few species of Balistes occur.
Myxine is lost in this district; whilst Branchiostoma is abundant.
3. The shore fishes of the North American district consist, as on the eastern coasts of the North Atlantic, of northern and southern elements; but they are still more mixed with each other than on the European coasts, so that a boundary line cannot be drawn between them. The affinity to the fauna of the eastern shores is great, but almost entirely limited to the genera composing the fauna of the British district. British genera not found on the American coasts are—Galeus, Scyllium, Chimæra, Mullus, Pagellus, Trigla, Trachinus, Zeus, Callionymus. The southern elements of North America are rather derived from the West Indies, and have no special affinity to Mediterranean forms; very few of the non-British Mediterranean forms extend across the Atlantic; instead of a Mediterranean we find a West Indian element. Many of the British species range across the Atlantic, and inhabit in an unchanged condition the northern parts of this district; and from the frequent occurrence of isolated specimens of other British species on the North American coast, we may presume that many more occasionally cross the Atlantic, but without being able to obtain a permanent footing.
The genera peculiar to this district are few in number, and composed of very few species, viz. Hemitripterus, Pammelas, Chasmodes, Cryptacanthodes, and Tautoga.
The close resemblance of what must be considered northern forms to those of Europe will be evident from the following list:—
Mustelus, Rhina, Torpedo, Raja, Trygon.
Labrax, Centropristis, Serranus; Pagrus, Chrysophrys; Sebastes, Hemitripterus; Cottus, Aspidophoroides; Uranoscopus; Micropogon, Pogonias, Sciæna; Trachurus, Pammelas; Cyclopterus, Liparis; Lophius; Anarrhichas, Chasmodes, Stichcæus, Centronotus, Cryptacanthodes, Zoarces.
Tautoga, Ctenolabrus.
Gadus, Merluccius, Phycis, Molva, Motella, Brosmius; Ophidium (one species, perhaps identical with a Mediterranean species); Ammodytes; Hippoglossus, Hippoglossoides, Rhombus, Pleuronectes.
Osmerus, Mallotus; Engraulis, Clupea; Conger.
Syngnathus—Myxine—Branchiostoma.
West Indian genera, or at least genera which are more developed within the tropics, and which extend more or less northwards in the North American district, are:—
Pteroplatea (also in the Mediterranean).
Gerres, Dules (auriga), Lobotes, Ephippus; Sargus; Prionotus; Umbrina, Otolithus, Larimus; Sphyræna (Mediterr.); Trichiurus (Mediterr.); Elacate; Cybium, Trachynotus; Stromateus (Mediterr.); Caranx; Batrachus (Mediterr.); Malthe.
Pseudorhombus, Solea (Mediterr.)
Saurus (Mediterr.); Etrumeus, Albula, Elops, Megalops.
Hippocampus (Mediterr.)
Balistes, Monacanthus.
B. Shore Fishes of the Temperate North Pacific.
This fauna shows a great affinity to that of the temperate North Atlantic, not only in including a considerable proportion of identical genera, and even of species, but also in having its constituent parts similarly distributed. However, our knowledge of the ichthyology of this fauna is by no means complete. Very few collections have been made in Northern Japan, and on the coasts farther north of it; and, again, the ichthyology of the coasts of Southern California is but little known. Southern Japan has been well searched, but very little attention has been paid to the extent of the northward range of the species. In collections made by Mr. Swinhoe at Chefoo, in lat. 37° N., the proportions of temperate and tropical fishes were found to be about equal. Thus, the details of the distribution of the fishes of these shores have still to be worked out; nevertheless, three divisions may be recognised which, for the present, may be defined as follows:—
1. The fishes of the north-western shores, to about 37° lat. N., including the corresponding northern parts of Japan—Kamtschatkan district; this corresponds to the British district of the Atlantic.
2. The fishes of Southern Japan and the corresponding shores of the continent of Asia, between 37° and 30° lat. N.—Japanese district, which corresponds to the Mediterranean.
3. The fishes of the eastern shores southwards to the latitude of San Francisco—Californian district; this corresponds to the North American district of the Atlantic.
Too little is known of the shore fishes of the coasts between San Francisco and the tropic to enable us to treat of it as a separate division.
The Shore fishes of the North Pacific generally are composed of the following elements:—
a. Arctic forms which extend into the Arctic Ocean, and the majority of which are also found in the British district.
b. Peculiar forms limited to the North Pacific, like the Heterolepidina, Embiotocidæ, and certain Cottoid and Blennioid genera.
c. Forms identical with fishes of the Mediterranean.
d. Peculiar forms limited to the southern parts of Japan.
e. Tropical forms which have entered the North Pacific from the south.
1. The small list of fishes which we can assign to the Kamtschatkan district is due rather to the imperfect manner in which its fauna has been explored than to its actual poverty of fishes; thus, although we may be sure that sooner or later the small kinds of Dog-fishes of the British district will be found there also, at present we have positive knowledge of the occurrence of only two Chondropterygians, viz. Chimæra and Raja. The species of the latter genus seem to be much less numerous than in the Atlantic.
Of Acanthopterygians the following are known:—Sebastes; Chirus, Agrammus; Podabrus, Blepsias, Cottus, Centridermichthys, Hemilepidotus, Agonus; Trichodon; Callionymus; Liparis; Dictyosoma, Stichæus, Centronotus.
Labroids are absent; they are clearly a type unable to endure great cold; of the Embiotocoids which represent them in the Pacific, one species only (a species of Ditrema) is known from this district.
The Gadoids are, so far as we know at present, sparsely represented, viz. by isolated species of Gadus, Motella, and Lotella, the latter being an inhabitant of moderate depths rather than of the surface. Hippoglossus, Pleuronectes, and Parophrys, seem to occur everywhere at suitable localities.
The Physostomes are nearly the same as in the British district, viz. a Smelt (Hypomesus), probably also the Arctic Mallotus, an Anchovy, several species of Clupea, and the Conger-eel. A very singular Salmonoid fish, Salanx, which is limited to the north-western Pacific, occurs in great abundance.
Also, the Lophobranchs correspond in their development to those of the British district, Nerophis being replaced by Urocampus.
Neither Myxinoids nor Branchiostoma have as yet been found.
2. The Japanese district is, like the Mediterranean, distinguished by a great variety of forms; some of them are peculiar to it (marked J. in the following list); others occur in the Mediterranean, though also in other districts (M.) The resemblance to the Mediterranean is even greater than would appear from the following list of genera, inasmuch as a considerable number of species are identical in both districts. Three of the Berycoid genera have hitherto been found in the Japanese and Mediterranean districts only, and nowhere else. Another very singular fact is that some of the most characteristic genera, like Mullus, Zeus, Callionymus, Centriscus, inhabit the Mediterranean and Japanese districts, but have never reached the opposite American coasts, either in the Atlantic or Pacific; although, at least in the latter, the oceanic currents would rather favour than obstruct their dispersal in the direction towards America. Bold as the hypothesis may appear, we can only account for the singular distribution of these shore fishes by assuming that the Mediterranean and Japanese seas were in direct and open communication with each other within the period of the existence of the present Teleosteous Fauna.
Gadoids have disappeared, or are represented by forms inhabiting moderate depths. Neither Myxine nor Branchiostoma are known to have as yet been found.
List of Japanese Shore Fishes.
Chimæra (M.)
Galeus (M.), Mustelus (M.), Triacis, Scyllium (M.), Crossorhinus, Pristiophorus, Cestracion; Rhina (M.); Rhinobatus (M.), Narcine, Raja (M.), Trygon (M.), Pteroplatea (M.)
Percalabrax (J.), Niphon (J.), Centropristis, Anthias (M.), Serranus (M.), Apogon (M.), Scombrops (J.), Acropoma, Anoplus (J.), Pristipoma (M.), Hapalogenys (J.), Histiopterus, Velifer (J.), Dentex (M.), Erythrichthys—Mullidæ (M.)—Girella, Pagrus (M.), Chrysophrys (M.)—Chilodactylus—Sebastes (M.), Scorpæna (M.), Aploactis, Trichopleura, Pelor—Monocentris (J.), Hoplostethus (M.), Beryx (M.), Polymixia (M.)—Platycephalus, Hoplichthys (J.), Bembras (J.), Prionotus, Lepidotrigla (M.), Trigla (M.), Peristethus (M.)—Uranoscopus (M.), Percis, Sillago, Latilus.—Sciæna (M.), Otolithus—Sphyræna (M.)—Lepidopus (M.), Trichiurus (M.)—Zeus (M.)—Caranx, Trachurus (M.)—Callionymus (M.)—Lophius (M.), Halieuthæa (J.)—Hoplognathus—Cepola (M.)—Centriscus (M.), Fistularia.
Heliastes (M.)—Labrichthys, Duymæria, Platyglossus, Novacula (M.), Julis (M.), Coris (M.)
Sirembo (J.)—Motella (M.)—Ateleopus (J.)
Pseudorhombus, Pleuronectes (M.), Solea (M.), Synaptura (M.)
Saurus (M.), Harpodon.—Salanx (J.)—Engraulis (M.), Clupea (M.), Etrumeus—Conger (M.), Congromuræna (M.), Murænesox (M.), Oxyconger, Myrus (M.), Ophichthys (M.), Muræna (M.)
Syngnathus (M.), Hippocampus (M.), Solenognathus.
Triacanthus, Monacanthus, Ostracion.
3. The Californian district includes a marked northern element, the principal constituents of which are identical with types occurring in the corresponding district of the Atlantic, viz. the North American, as exemplified by Discoboli, Anarrhichas, Centronotus, Cottus, Hippoglossus, Clupea (harengus), etc. But it possesses also, in the greatest degree of development, some types almost peculiar to itself, as the Heterolepidina, some remarkable Cottoid and Blennioid genera, and more especially the Embiotocoids—viviparous Pharyngognaths—which replace the Labroids of the other hemisphere. Gadoids are much less numerous than in the North American district. The southern forms are but little known, but it may be anticipated that, owing to the partial identity of the Faunæ of the two coasts of the Isthmus of Panama, a fair proportion of West Indian forms will be found to have entered this district from the south. The following are the principal genera:—
Chimœra, Galeus, Mustelus, Triacis, Cestracion, Rhina, Raja.
Serranus; Chirus, Ophiodon, Zaniolepis; Sebastes; Nautichthys, Scorpœnichthys, Cottus, Centridermichthys, Hemilepidotus, Artedius, Prionotus, Agonus; Cyclopterus, Liparis; Anarrhichas, Neoclinus, Cebidichthys, Stichœus, Centronotus, Apodichthys; Psychrolutes; Auliscops.
Embiotocidœ.
Gadus. Hippoglossus, Psettichthys, Citharichthys, Paralichthys, Pleuronectes, Parophrys.
Osmerus, Thaleichthys, Hypomesus; Engraulis, Clupea.
Syngnathus.