66 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP [1885. 



A EEVIEW OF THE AMERICAN ELEOTRIDIN.E. 

 BY CARL H. EIGENMAN AND MORTON W. FORDICE. 



We have attempted to give in this paper the synonymy of the 

 genera and species of Eleotridinae found in the waters of 

 America, with analytical keys by which they may be distin- 

 guished. All the specimens examined belong to the Museum of 

 the Indiana University, most of them having been collected by 

 Professor Jordan. 



All the species are referred by Dr. Gunther to a single genus, 

 Eleotris. This group, however, seems to us rather of the nature 

 of a subfamily. An examination of the skeletons of some of the 

 species shows important differences, which we must regard as 

 having generic value. 



We place the American species in six genera, which may be 

 characterized as follows : — 



Analysis of Genera of Eleotridinae. 

 Common Characters. — Ventral fins separate, each with one 

 spine and five soft rays ; dorsal spines six or seven. 

 a. Vomer with a broad patch of villiform teeth ; isthmus very 

 narrow; gill-openings extending forward below to posterior 

 angle of mouth ; teeth villiform, the outer scarcely 

 enlarged ; vertebra?, 12 + 13 (dormitator) ; skull above with 

 conspicuous elevated ridges, one of these bounding orbit 

 above ; the orbital ridges connected posteriorly above by a 

 strong cross-ridge ; a sharp longitudinal ridge on each side 

 of the occipital, the two nearly parallel, the post-temporals 

 being attached to their posterior ends. Insertions of post- 

 temporals widely separated, the distance between them 

 greater than the rather narrow interorbital width ; the post- 

 temporal bones little divergent ; top of head depressed, 

 both before and behind the cross-ridge between eyes ; a 

 flattish triangular area between this and the little elevated 

 supraoccipital region ; preopercle without spines ; lower 

 pharyngeals with slender depressible teeth, and without 

 lamelliform appendages ; scales of moderate size, ctenoid. 



Gobiomorus. 1. 

 da. Vomer without teeth ; isthmus broad ; gill-openings scarcely 

 extending forward below to posterior angle of preopercle ; 

 skull without crests. 



