62 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 122 



cirri on each side (2 or more in specimens over 30 mm SL, rarely more 

 than 7), usually arising on each side from common base (from 2 bases 

 on only 1 side in 2 specimens) ; nuchal cirri number increasing very 

 slightly with increase in SL; predorsal commissural pores 3-66, num- 

 ber increasing with increase in SL (table 25) ; preopercular series of 

 pores with pairs or multiples of pores at all positions (rarely a simple 

 pore included in series) ; 1-3 pores before each anterior nostril (2 or 3 

 in 56 of 65 specimens) ; lateral line terminating on side in area below 

 and between segmented dorsal fin rays 2 and 11 (usually between 

 rays 3 and 9); ventral margin of upper lip completely crenulate; lip 

 crenulae number 23-32 (usually 25-30). 



Proportional measurements: See tables 3, 4, and 26. 



Males develop fleshy rugose modifications of the skin of the anal 

 spines and the anterior two anal rays. If one considers males with 

 these modifications to be mature, the smallest mature male examined 

 was 52.8 mm SL. Mature and immature males may occur in the 

 same collection and in these collections immature males may be as 

 much as 37 mm longer than mature males. 



The largest specimen examined was a male, 104.5 mm SL; the 

 largest female was about 78 mm SL. Below 79 mm SL females were 

 about as common as males in the various SL classes. The smallest 

 specimen examined, 20.1 mm SL, was not an ophioblennius stage; 

 however, posterior canines in the lower jaw were absent. These 

 teeth were present in specimens 25 mm SL. Adult type color pattern 

 was developed in the smallest specimen. 



Color pattern of preserved material. — Description of a male, 

 USNM 199423, approximately 80 mm SL, from Malacca Strait, 

 followed by variations encountered in other specimens: The ground 

 color of the side of the body varies from dusky anteriorly to pale 

 dusky posteriorly. There are 4}^ pairs of vertical series of diffuse 

 dusky spots, the half pair at the caudal peduncle. Tliere are three 

 spots in each member of a paired series, the ventralmost is faintest, 

 fading completely before reaching the ventral body contour. Dor- 

 sally the spots are darkest and continuous onto the base of the spinous 

 and soft dorsal fins. Anteriorly, in the region above tlie pectoral 

 fin, the side bears a fine network of dusky lines encompassing tiny 

 paler spots. Tlie venter is uniformly pale. The side of the head is 

 mostly dark dusky with a black spot posterior to the eye a distance 

 about equal to tlie eye diameter. Three short dusky lines, separated 

 by paler interspaces, extend from the ventroposterior (4 o'clock posi- 

 tion) margin of the eye to the preopercular area, where they fuse 

 with a deep dusky blotch (the black spot behind the eye extends 

 ventrally and similarly fuses with the same blotch). Ventral to the 

 dusky lines (5 o'clock position) are some irregular dusky lines, spots, 



