NO. 3582 



GENUS ENTOMACRODUS — SPRINGER 



99 



preopercular series. Several nonophioblennius stage specimens as 

 small as 15.7 mm SL were examined from lots containing specimens 

 identifiable as E. sealei, but these specimens had all preopercular pores 

 simple and no lip crenulae. It is possible that these specimens belong 

 to another species (i.e., E. thalassinus) and the data from these speci- 

 mens were not included in the description and tables in this paper. 

 Positive identification awaits more information on developmental 

 stages (small specimens of E. thalassinus, to less than 15.0 mm, could 

 be identified when present in large series by following gradual mor- 

 phological changes throughout the series, but isolated small specimens, 

 such as mentioned above, could not be so identified with the material 

 available) . 



Color pattern of preserved material. — Specimens from the 

 sam.e collection may have ahnost no disthict markings on the body 

 sides, or they may have several dusky blotches, or pairs of blotches 

 of variable intensity on the midline of the side. These blotches, 

 grouped in six or seven areas on the sides, appear to correspond to 

 the bands of other species of the E. nigricans group to which E. sealei 

 belongs. The posterior two pairs of blotclies, at the caudal peduncle 

 and under the posterior soft dorsal rays, are often pale or absent. A 

 conspicuous blotch m.ay be present hi the humeral region but usually 

 is lacking. Infrequently there are faint marks at the base of tlie 

 dorsal fin tluit are probably disconnected dorsal extensions from the 

 body blotclies. Extensions from these faint marks may enter the 

 dorsal fin, where, on the soft dorsal, they may intensify as stripes 

 and become dorsoposteriorly directed. The dorsal fin may be almost 

 uniformly light dusky or have a pale or dark distal margin. 



On the side of the head a number of irregular dusky marks are 



TABLE -45. — Frequency distribution of nunber of supraorbital cirri of 

 left eye of specimens of Entomacrodus sealei arranged by SL classes 

 (in mm) 



