526 The Blennies: Blenniidas 



which is early lost. It reaches a length of about fifteen inches. 

 Opsanus pardus, the leopard toadfish, or sapo, of the Gulf coast, 

 lives in deeper water and is prettily marked with dark-brown 

 spots on a light yellowish ground. 



In Opsanus the body is naked and there is a large foramen, 

 or mucous pore, in the axil of the pectoral. In the Marcgravia 

 cryptocentra, a large Brazilian toadfish, this foramen is absent. 

 In Batrachoides, a South American genus, the body is covered 

 with cycloid scales. Batrachoides surinamensis is a common 

 species of the West Indies. Batrachoides pad fid occurs at 

 Panama. The genus Porichthys is remarkable for the develop- 

 ment of series of mucous pores and luminous spots in several 

 different lateral lines which cover the body. These luminous 

 spots are quite unlike those found in the lantern-fishes 

 (Myctophida) and other Iniomi. Their structure has been 

 worked out in detail by Dr. Charles Wilson Greene, a summary 

 of whose conclusions are given on page 191, Vol. I. 



The common midshipman, or singing fish, of the coast of 

 California is Porichthys notatus. This species, named mid- 

 shipman from its rows of shining spots like brass buttons, is 

 found among rocks and kelp and makes a peculiar quivering 

 or humming noise with its large air-bladder. 



Porichthys porosissimus, the bagre sapo, is common on 

 all coasts of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Po- 



FIG. 481. Singing Fish or Bagre Sapo, Porichthys porosissimus (Cuv. & Val.). 



Galveston. 



richthys margaritatus is found about Panama and Porichthys 

 porosus in Chile. 



The species of Thalassophryne and Thalassothia, the poison 

 toadfishes, are found along the coasts of South America, where 

 they sometimes ascend the rivers. In these species there is 



