blenniidae: salariinae — schultz and chapman 313 



CIRKIPECTES SEBAE (Cuvier and Valenciennes) 



Plate 114,A,B 



Salarias sebae Cuvier and Valenciennes, Histoire naturelle des poissons, vol. 11, 

 p. 323, 1836 (type locality, East Indies). 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll: 12 stations, 63 specimens, 18 to 99 mm. in standard length. 

 Eniwetok Atoll: 4 stations, 122 specimens, 18 to 64 mm. 

 Rongerik Atoll: 3 stations, 7 specimens, 18 to 80 mm. 

 Kwajalein Atoll: 1 station, 1 specimen, 51 mm. 



Description.— DoTS&l rays XII, 14; anal 11,15; pectoral 15, with 

 lower 5 thickened and 6 thickened in adults; pel vies 1,4, occasionally 

 1,3; branched caudal 5+4; nuchal fringe with 33 to 42 cirri; nasal 

 flap with 4 to 11 cirri; orbital tentacle with 4 or 5 cirri. 



Head 3.1 to 3.7; greatest depth 3.1 to 3.5; longest dorsal spine 

 3.5 to 5.0; longest thickened pectoral ray 3.7 to 4.4; all in standard 

 length. Eye 2.9 to 5.2; snout 2.5 to 2.9; interorbital space 8.0 to 9.5; 

 postorbital length of head 1.5 to 1.7; least depth of body 2.5 to 2.7; 

 greatest depth of body 0.9 to 1.0; preorbital width 4.9 to 5.1; all in 

 length of head. 



Orbital tentacle with cirri arising from fleshy base; nuchal fringe 

 with simple cirri, those at nape about same length as laterally base 

 of this fringe curving a little posteriorly, so that the distance between 

 vertical lines through ventrolateral tip of base and anterodorsal 

 edge is contained 5.5 to 7.0 times in postorbital length of head; 

 ventral basal tip of nuchal fringe opposite upper edge of eye to upper 

 edge of pupil; snout profde nearly vertical; upper lip crenulate or with 

 very small papillae; lower lip somewhat plicate laterally, smooth 

 mesially; no cirrus on chin; lateral line arched over pectoral fin, 

 thence along midlengthwise axis, ending a little in front in base of 

 caudal fin; a vertical line through dorsal fin origin passes just behind 

 lower tip of base of nuchal fringe and just behind base of pel vies; 

 pectoral fin reaches to or a trifle past anal origin; anal spines 2, with 

 swollen convoluted pads in adult males; first anal spine concealed; 

 a strong canine tooth posteriorly on each side of lower jaw, curved 

 posteriorly; teeth in both jaws very numerous, and of about equal 

 size in both jaws, movable; fifth or sLxth pectoral ray from lowermost 

 edge of fin longest; posterior edge of caudal fin a little rounded. 



Color in alcohol. — Since the color pattern changes remarkably with 

 increase in size, the various stages are described separately: 



Ophioblennius stage, 19 and 20 mm.: All cirri dark; background 

 color light brownish, with vertical bands barely discernible; a tiny 

 blackish spot at rear of lower lip on lower jaw. 



