Six species from the temperate parts of the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, one, Ph. blennioides, is occasionally found on the British coast.
Haloporphyrus.—Body elongate, covered with small scales. A separate caudal, two dorsal fins, and one anal; the first dorsal with four rays; ventrals narrow, composed of six rays. Jaws and vomer with villiform teeth; palatine bones toothless. Chin with a barbel.
A small genus of deep-sea fishes, of which three species are known. They offer a striking instance of the extraordinary distribution of deep-sea fishes; H. lepidion occurs in from 100 to 600 fathoms in the Mediterranean and the neighbouring parts of the Atlantic, off the coast of Japan, and various parts of the South Atlantic; H. australis in from 55 to 70 fathoms in the Straits of Magelhæn; and finally H. rostratus in from 600 to 1375 fathoms, midway between the Cape of Good Hope and Kerguelen’s Land, and in the South Atlantic.
Lota.—Body elongate, covered with very small scales. A separate caudal, two dorsal fins, and one anal; ventrals narrow, composed of six rays. Villiform teeth in the jaws and on the vomer; none on the palatines. The first dorsal with from ten to thirteen well-developed rays. Chin with a barbel.
The “Burbot,” or “Eel-pout” (L. vulgaris, Fig. [8], p. 43), is a Freshwater-fish which never enters salt water. It is locally distributed in Central and Northern Europe and North America; it is one of the best Freshwater-fishes, and exceeds a length of three feet.
Molva.—Differs from Lota in having several large teeth in the lower jaw and on the vomer.
The “Ling” (M. vulgaris) is a very valuable species, common on the northern coasts of Europe, Iceland, and Greenland; and generally found from three to four feet long. The larger number of the specimens caught are cured and dried.
Motella.—Body elongate, covered with minute scales. A separate caudal. Two dorsal fins, the anterior of which is reduced to a narrow rayed fringe, more or less concealed in a longitudinal groove; the first ray is prolonged. One anal fin. Ventrals composed of from five to seven rays. A band of teeth in the jaws and on the vomer.
Eight species of “Rocklings” are known from the coasts of Europe, Iceland, Greenland, Japan, the Cape of Good Hope, and New Zealand. They are of small size, and chiefly distinguished by the number of their barbels. British are the Five-bearded Rockling (M. mustela), the Three-bearded Rocklings (M. tricirrhata, macrophthalma, and maculata), and the Four-bearded Rockling (M. cimbria). M. macrophthalma comes from a depth of from 80 to 180 fathoms. The young are known as “Mackerel Midge” (Couchia), and sometimes met with in large numbers at some distance from the coast.
Raniceps.—Head large, broad, and depressed; body of moderate length, covered with minute scales. A separate caudal. Two dorsal fins, the anterior of which is very short, rudimentary. One anal fin. Ventrals composed of six rays. Cardlike teeth in the jaws and on the vomer.