10 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 124 



nal form. One may collect specimens by removing and breaking up large 

 chunks of "pie-crust" coral. Since the species also is collected easily with fish 

 poisons, one would expect it to be taken readily in other localities. 



Relationships. — Atrosalarias belongs to the subfamily Salariinae 

 as defined by Norman (1943). Within that subfamily it appears to 

 be most closely related to the genera Salarias Cuvier and Negoscartes 

 Whitley. These genera are distinct from other Blenniidae in having 

 some or all species with two epurals and no minimal hypural in the 

 caudal fin and in having only two segmented rays in each pelvic fin. 

 Atrosalarias differs from the other two genera in having fewer dorsal 

 fin spines, more pectoral rays, and no branched rays in the caudal fin. 



Superficially A. fuscus bears a close resemblance to Ecsenius liv- 

 idinalis Chapman and Schultz (Fowler, 1927, reported on four speci- 

 mens of A. fuscus from the Philippines, one of which is E. lividinalis) . 

 Aside from many osteological differences between Atrosalarias and 

 Ecsenius, E. lividinalis can be distinguished from A. fuscus by its 

 three segmented pelvic rays (one of these rays may not be visible 

 externally), 12 dorsal spines, fewer than 15 segmented dorsal or anal 

 rays, and a conspicuous black spot surrounding the anus. 



Nomenclature. — Salarias ruficaudus Ehrenberg was described 

 from Massaua, Red Sea, same type-locality as for A. fuscus, without 

 comparison with other species. No type material was designated, and 

 none was found in the Paris Museum, where it would be expected. 

 The description could apply to A. fuscus but might apply to some 

 other species. We know of no other Red Sea blenny, however, that 

 would fit the description as well. 



Salarias niger Kossman and Rauber also was described from Mas- 

 saua without comparison with either A. fuscus or A. ruficaudus. The 

 author's figure clearly indicates A. fuscus. If type material is available, 

 it is probably in the East Berlin museum. 



Salarias phaiosoma Bleeker was described with mention of the 

 possibility that it was a synonym of S. fuscus. Bleeker (1865) later 

 recognized that his species was indeed a synonym of $. fuscus. The 

 holotype apparently is lost. 



Material (asterisks denote material not included in table 1 

 because of insufficient locality data). — 



Astrosalarias fuscus fuscus. — Red Sea: HUI E60/120/II (1); Gulf of Aqaba: 

 Eliat: HUI E60/96,14 (1), E60/93,3 (1); Strait of Jubal: USNM 200540 (1); 

 Sarso: NMW 71362 (1); Kamaran Is.: BMNH 1937.4.26.14 (1); Massaua: 

 BMNH 1871.4.13.48 (1), MCSN 12389 (1), SMF 1832 (2 syntypes); Nocra: 

 HUI E62/1248 (1); Urn Aabak: HUI E60/3660 F (5). India: Sind: AMS 

 B7994 (1). East Africa: Zanzibar: USNM 197639 (1). Indonesia: RNH* 

 4782 (3); Sumatra: Pulo Bai, Batu Group: USNM 199482 (2); Mentawai Is.: 

 USNM 199484 (3); Java: Djakarta Bay: UMMZ 144755 (2). 



