blenniidae: salariinae — schultz and chapman 345 

 See table 1 13 for counts recorded for the various species in this genus. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF ISTIBLENNIUS AND SALARIAS FROM THE MARSHALL AND 



MARIANAS ISLANDS 



la. Dorsal rays XIII (rarely XIV), 22 to 25; anal rays 11,23 to 25; nuchal ten- 

 tacle absent; lower jaw without posterior canines; edge of upper lip 

 crenulate, that of lower lip smooth; orbital tentacle simple, thin, and 

 broad but vnth cirri on its edges; sides with distinct dark brown to 

 blackish lengthwise lines, or they may be indistinct but always there are 

 traces of these lines on caudal peduncle in the form of many black 

 specks, except occasionally in young specimens shorter than 30 mm, 



I. lineatus (Cuvier and Valenciennes) 

 16. Dorsal soft rays fewer than 22, soft anal rays fewer than 23 (or rarely 23); 

 edge of lower lip smooth. 

 2a. Edge of upper lip crenulate; nuchal tentacle usually present, minute, 

 sometimes absent on one or both sides; posterior canine present on 

 each side of lower jaw. 

 3a. Orbital tentacle present, slender, simple, length about equal to eye di- 

 ameter, or a little less; nuchal cirrus simple, always present; back- 

 ground coloration dark brown to light tan, sides with 7 dark bars, 

 each double ventrally, sometimes the dark bars are represented by 

 4 oblong dark spots on sides; a small dark opercular spot or silvery 

 blue spot with black margins, and a pale oblique streak behind eye 

 margined posteriorly with a dusky line is usually distinct; on middle 

 of sides in the dark bars are 5 or 6 pairs of bright silvery to bluish 

 white spots bordered by a black line.. I. paulus (Bryan and Herre) 

 36. Orbital tentacle slender, but notably broader than thick, its tip with 2 

 to 4 cirri, and its length not quite equal to diameter of eye; nuchal 

 cirrus very small, threadlike, usually present, occasionally present 

 on only one side, or absent on both sides; background coloration of 

 females pale tan, with traces of about 9 double bars, usually repre- 

 sented by a few tiny spots or short vertical dark lines so arranged 

 that the upper two spots are a little above the midsides and the 

 lower pair are on lower part of sides, tip of each dorsal spine black; 

 background coloration of males light tan to brown usually with a 

 purphsh tinge ventrally; a conspicuous purplish black spot, size of 

 pupil to half eye diameter, on middle of side opposite base of about 

 second soft dorsal ray; tip of dorsal spines black; white spots on 

 dorsal surface of head as in females; usually a dark spot just behind 



eye I. coronatus (Giinther) 



26. Edge of upper lip smooth. 



4a. No posterior canines on lower jaw; nuchal cirrus present. 



5a. Orbital tentacle single, simple, thin, much broader than thick, wider 

 basally, tapering to a point distally, its length ji to Yi eye di- 

 ameter, and occasionally in adults I or 2 cirri, branching off the 

 edge near the tip; nuchal cirrus on each side of nape, single, thin, 

 much broader than thick basally, tapering to a point; a distinct 

 notch in dorsal fin over last dorsal spine; dorsal rays XII (rarely) 

 or XIII, 19 to 21; anal 11,20 to 23, rarely 23; background colora- 

 tion of females brown to pale tan, With or without 6 or 7 more 

 or less double dark bars on sides; posterior part of body and 

 dorsal fin finely speckled with dark brown specks or dots; back- 



