Jordan and Ever mann. — Fishes of North America. 2361 



Body oblong, robust; head naked, short, compressed above; mouth 

 rather large, -svith a row of stout, bluutish teeth iu front of each jaw, 

 behind which is a baud of smaller teeth, broadest in lower jaw; teeth on 

 vomer, no teeth on palatines; a tentacle above the eye; sides of neck 

 with a tuft or series of fine filaments; dorsal fin continuous, with numer- 

 ous slender spines and many soft rays, the spines not very unequal ; pec- 

 torals long ; lateral line continuous ; scales moderate or small, cycloid ; 

 shoulder girdle without upturned hook-like process on its inner edge. 

 Intestinal canal short, shorter than body. The limits of this genus are 

 not well defined, and most of the nominal genera above named will jiroba- 

 bly be found worthy of recognition. This genus differs from Clinus 

 chiefly in the absence of the upturned spine-like processes on the inner 

 edge of the shoulder girdle. This process is found on Clinus acuminatus, 

 the type of the genus Clinus. {Labrus; d&ua, body.) 



a. Scales moderate, about 70 in lateral Hue (so {ar as known) ; soft dorsal with 11 to 13 

 rays. 

 6. Dorsal spines 16; anal rays 20; tentacles on nape. heeminier, 2702. 



bb. Dorsal spines 18; no teeth on palatines; first ray of dorsal not longest; or- 

 bital tentacle well developed; nape with a conspicuous comb of fringes. 

 d. Vomer with a clu.ster of small teeth. NucniPiNNis, 2703. 



dd. Vomer with 3 to 5 large blunt teeth arranged in the form of a A- 



XANTI,2704. 



bbb. Dorsal spines 20; teeth on palatines (?) ; first dorsal 8i)ine longest. 



BUCCIFERUS, 2705. 



aa. Scales very small, about 110; a comb of fringes at nape; first dorsal spines low; 

 head with yellow spots. microlepidotus, 2706. 



2702. LABRISOMUS HERMINIEB (Le Sueur). 



D.XVI, 11; A. 20; C.14; P. 16; V.3. Body slender, compressed. Cilia 

 on nostrils, above the eye, and on the nape; lips thick, concealing conical 

 teeth, behind each band of smaller teeth; teeth also on the palate and 

 on the base of the gill arches. Scales rather large. Lateral line curved 

 from the pectoral, becoming straight thence to the tail. Color reddish 

 brown with numerous spots; a black spot at front of spinous dorsal. 



distinct genus distinguished by its abbreviated and blenniform head, the profile being 

 very convex ; by the villiform teeth, the absence of superciliary tentacles, the spinous 

 portion of the dorsal long, and the presence of only 2 rays to the ventral fins. The 

 name Blenjiioclinus is conferred on it; for the species, the specific name of Valen- 

 ciennes must be retained. Labrisomus variolo.ms is distinguished by a large thick head, 

 with lateral eyes, short superciliary tentacles, and a small nuchal one. The mouth is 

 large; the teeth of the jaws in an outer row strong and conical, behind which are villi- 

 form ones; those of the vomer and palate are villiform, in 3 patches, 1 on the vomer and 1 

 on each palatine bone. The spinous portion of the dorsal is long, and the ventrals have 

 each 3 rays. The species thus characterized is the type of a new genus which may be 

 named Anchenionclms (misprint for Auchenionchvs). Labrisonnis microcirrhis, L. ele- 

 aans and L. peruvianus are nearly related to Anchenionchus, and are from the same zoo- 

 logical province. Labrosomus ? genifjuttatus is distinguished from Anchenionchus by the 

 more approsinitited eyes and by the disposition of the vomero-palatine teeth, as well as the 

 small size of the anteriorrow of maxillary teeth. The dorsal is moderately long, and each 

 of the ventrals has 3 rays. The mouth is comparatively small, and there are super- 

 ciliary, nasal, iind nuchal tentacles. For this species tlie generic name OalUdinus is 

 proposed. Labrisomxis latipinnis is related to Blennioclinit^, but is distinguished from the 

 species of that genus by the presence of superciliary tentacles. The generic name of 

 Ophthahnnlophiig may be retained for it." (Proc, Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1860, 102, 103.) 



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