198 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 99 



U.S.N.M. No. 122004, a specimen 100 mm. in standard length, Gulf of 

 Venezuela, U. S. S. Niagara, 1925. 



The folloAving counts were made: Dorsal rays 14 in 3 and 15 in 1 

 specimens; anal 13 rays in 2, and 14 in 3 specimens; pectoral rays 21 

 in one specimen, 22 in 6 counts, and 23 in 3. 



Order GOBIESOCIFORMES 

 Family GOBIESOCIDAE: Clingfishes; Trepadores 



During my attempt to identify the Venezuelan specimens of cling- 

 fishes in the national collections, it became clear to me that the Amer- 

 ican Gobiesocidae were in a state of confusion and were in need of 

 revision. This was necessary before I could determine the genus or 

 species to which the Venezuelan clingfishes belonged. After 3 months 

 of work, a manuscript was prepared and published (Schultz, 1944e). 

 The following key was modified from that publication so as to key 

 out all American genera, and it includes only those species that have 

 been reported from Venezuela: 



la. Groove between tip of snout and upper lip of premaxillaries extending around 

 front of snout and not forming a convex curve dorsally over tip of snout; 

 width of middle of upper lip narrow, about the same as laterally, and ap- 

 proximately equal to width of pupil; gill membranes attached opposite 

 third and fifth upper pectoral fin rays; axial flap of skin behind pectoral 

 fin with its upper edge attached at midbase of pectoral fin or below mid- 

 base; fleshy pad on outer pectoral base present only ventrally, without 

 a free margin posteriorly and enlarged or swollen at lower posterior corner 

 of pectoral fin base; the lower first to fifth pectoral rays short, about half 

 length of longest pectoral ray, the eighth and ninth much longer than 

 lower pectoral rays; anal rays 6 or 8; dorsal rays 6 or 7 (all rudiments 

 counted as one ray). 

 2a. Incisorlike teeth at front of lower jaw with 4 minute points '"; those at 

 front of upper jaw mostly conical; each jaw with 1 or 2 inner rows of 

 minute conical teeth; axial flap of skin behind pectoral fin attached at 

 lower part of pectoral fin base; anal origin a little behind a vertical line 

 through dorsal origin; greatest depth of body 5.5 to 6.5, length of head 

 3 to 3.25, greatest width of head 4.5 to 5, length of disk 5 to 5.5, all in 

 standard length; length of disk about equal to distance from tip of snout 

 to front of disk; pectoral rays about 19 to 21; color when alive green or 

 reddish, with or without light spots (Florida Keys and West Indies). 



Acyrtus Schultz ^° 

 26. Incisorlike teeth at front of lower jaw with smooth tips; middle front teeth 

 of upper jaw conical; teeth in inner rows of both jaws shorter, smaller, 

 and conical; axial flap of skin behind pectoral fin attached opposite 

 middle of pectoral base; greatest depth of body 8 or 9, length of head 

 3.5 to 3.8, greatest width of head 5, length of disk 5.5, all in standard 

 length; anal origin a little in advance of dorsal origin; interorbital space 

 3.5 in head, eye 1.5 in interorbital space; length of disk about equal to 



'» Sometimes the middle two teeth are worn down nearly smooth, as in the type of G. beryllinus Hildehrand 

 and Ginsburg. 

 »o Not yet reported from Venezuela. 



