Gobioidei, Discocephali, and Tasniosomi 467 



translucent is the little Japanese shiro-uwo, or whitefish, Leuco- 

 psarion petersi. Mistichthys luzonius of the Philippine Islands, 

 another diaphanous goby, is said to be the smallest of all verte- 

 brates, being mature at half an inch in length. This minute 

 fish is so very abundant as to become an important article of 

 food in Luzon. The rank of "smallest-known vertebrate" has 

 been claimed in turn for the lancelet (Asymmetron lucayanum), 

 the top minnow, Heterandria formosa, and the dwarf sunfish 

 (Elassoma zonatuni). Mistichthys luzonius is smaller than any 

 of these, but the diminutive gobies, called Eviota, found in 

 interstices of coral rocks are equally small, and there are several 

 brilliant but minute forms in the reefs of Samoa. The snake-like 

 Eutaniichthys gilli of Japanese rivers is scarcely larger, though 

 over an inch long. Typhogobius calif orniensis, "the blindfish 

 of Point Loma, " is a small goby, colorless and blind, found 

 clinging in dark crevices of rock about Point Loma and Dead 

 Man's Island in southern California. 



Its eyes are represented by mere rudiments, their loss being 

 evidently associated with the peculiar habit of the species, 



FIG. 422. Euiceniichthys gillii Jordan & Snyder. Tokyo, Japan. 



which clings to the under side of stones in relative darkness, 

 though in very shallow water. The flesh is also colorless, the 

 animal appearing pink in life. 



In the Japanese species Luciogobus guttatus, common under 

 stones and along the coast, the spinous dorsal, weak in numer- 

 ous other species, finally vanishes altogether. Other gobies 

 are band-shaped or eel-shaped, the dorsal spines being continu- 

 ous with the soft rays. Among these are the barreto of Cuba, 

 Gobioides broussoneti, and in Japan T&nioides lacepedei and 

 Trypaucheri waka, the latter species remarkable for its strong 

 canines. Fossil gobies are practically unknown. A few frag- 

 ments, otoliths, and partial skeletons in southern Europe have 

 been referred to Gobius, but no other genus is represented. 



