2210 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 



u. Scales 55 to 60 ; eye longer than snout, 4 in head ; mouth 

 slightly oblique, the jaws equal, the maxillary not 

 reaching center of eye; teeth in a narrow band, the 

 outer much enlarged and separated from the others by 

 a narrow interspace. Second dorsal spine not equal to 

 depth of body. Caudal 3J in body. Scales on nape 

 and axil very small, those on posterior part of body 

 much larger. Light olive green; a series of brown 

 spots along middle of tail; sides of head with dusky 

 blotches, vertical fins dotted with black. D. VI-13; 

 A. 14. Scales 58-20. Sagittula, 2556. 



uu. Scales ^ery small (60 to 90) ; caudal more than twice as 

 long as head in adult. Body compressed, extremely 

 elongate, the depth 6 to 9 in length; head higher 

 than wide, short, compressed, 4i to 5 in length; mouth 

 Tfide, oblique ; maxillary in adult reaching to below 

 posterior border of eye. Lower jaw very thin and 

 flat; teeth in both jaws small, subequal, those in the 

 upper jaw in a single series, those of the lower in a 

 narrow band ; outer teeth somewhat movable. Scales 

 anteriorly small, cycloid, embedded, those behind 

 larger and ctenoid ; a few scales on upper auterior 

 corner of opercle ; dorsal fins high, some of the spines 

 filamentous, longer than head. Caudal very long 

 filamentous, 2 to 2f in body. Light olive; flns dusky 

 in male; a round, black spot on side, a little larger 

 than eye, below spinous dorsal; first dorsal spine 

 with 2 or 3 black spots; a small dusky spot at base 

 of caudal ; emerald spot on tongue conspicuous, fad- 

 ing in spirits. D. VI-14 ; A. 14 or 15. 

 V. Head 5J to 6 in length ; scales 60 to 70 ; patch of 

 scales on opercle obsolete. hastatds, 2557. 



vv. Head 7 to 8 in length ; scales about 90 ; patch of 

 scales on oijercle well developed. 



oceanicus, 2558. 

 Ltthrtpnus (\u9poi', gore; vt!v6%, slumberer; a red sleeper) : 



00. Soft dorsal and anal very long; D. VI-17; A. 14. Body short, compressed ; 

 mouth very oblique ; jaws with distant canine-like teeth. Coral red, 

 with bluish crossbands and markings. Scales 40. dallii, 2559. 



Subgenus GOBIUS. 

 2536. OOBIUS SOPORATOU,* Cuvier & Valenciennes. 



(SlkEPER; MAPO; CaIMAN.) 



Head 3-,^ to 3|; depth 4i to 5J; eye 4 to 5. D. VI-I, 9 or 10; A. I, 7 to 

 9 ; scales 35 to 41 — 13 to 15. Vert. 11 + 16. Body robust, compressed pos- 



*The specimens examined are from Panama, Barbados, Pard, Itapuana, Cuba, Gala- 

 pagos, Sambara, Bahia, Orange Key, Bahamas, Pernambuco, St. Thomas, Tortngas, Florida 

 Keys, Martiniciue, Sao Matneas, Curuca, Kio da Janeiro, Rio Doce. " The color varia- 

 tions among exami)le8 of this species are very great, specimens from one locality varying 

 from plain sand color, or gray, to greenish black; some dark brown specimens have li^ht 

 bars across the buck; in others the scales have light centers forming horizontal series 

 of light lines; sometimes there are light spots on" sides of head and cheek; some speci- 

 mens are conspicuously marbled with fight and dark brown, and white spots occur in the 

 centers of some of the scales on specimens of any ground color, these white spots being 

 brighter on some of the scales than on the others, forming interrupted longitudinal lines. 

 If any value could be placed upon the coloration, almost every specimen would be a 

 distinct si)ecies. The color variation is irrespective of locality, some localities having all 

 the above-described variations. The types of Poey's iiiapo, lacertus, and brunneus i>rove 

 to be color varieties of Gobiun soporator," (Eigeniuann.) 



