blenniidae: blennhnae — schultz 375 



and 11,14. Pectoral rays 14-14; 15-15; 15-15; 14-14; and 14-15. 

 Pelvics always 1,3. Teeth in both jaws varied from 30 to 34. 



Genus ASPIDONTUS Quoy and Gaimard 



Aspidontus Quoy and Gaimard, Voyage de . . . V Astrolabe . . . , Zoologie, vol. 

 3, p. 719, pi. 19, fig. 4, 1834 (type species, Aspidontus taeniatus Quoy and 

 Gaimard) . 

 Counts are recorded in table 118 for certain species in this genus. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF ASPIDONTUS FOUND IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS 



la. Gill opening extending down to lower edge of base of pectoral fin; first rays 

 of spiny dorsal notably elongate; dark streaks from eye along middle 



of sides A. fillanientosus *' (Cuvier and Valenciennes) 



lb. Gill opening not extending beyond base of eleventh pectoral ray, counting 

 from dorsal edge; first rays of spiny dorsal fin not notably elongate. 

 2a. Gill opening extends to opposite bases of pectoral rays 5 Lo 8; an intensely 

 black lateral band from snout tip through eye, broadening poste- 

 riorly, sharply contrasting with pale above and below, or band faded 

 and with only the dark edges showing behind eye. 



A. taeniatus Quoy and Gaimard 



2&. Gill opening extends to opposite base of pectoral rays 9 to 11; background 



coloration light brown usually with 8 or 9 vertical dark brown bars 



that continue on both dorsal and anal fins, dark bars separated by 



paler interspaces A. fluctuans (Weber) 



ASPIDONTUS TAENIATUS Qnoy and Gaimard 



Plate 106,F 



Aspidontus taeniatus Qttot and Gaimard, Voyage de . . ., V Astrolabe . . . , 



Zoologie, vol. 3, p. 719, pi. 19, fig. 4, 1834 (type locality, Guam; northern 



Guinea) . 

 Petroscirtcs taeniatus Gxjnther, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, vol. 4, pt. 13, p. 195, 



pi. 114, fig. A, 1877 (Tahiti). 

 Petrosciries azureus Jordan and Seale, Bull. U. S. Bur. Fish, vol. 25 (1905), 



p. 432, fig. 109, 1906 (type locality, Apia, Samoa). 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll: 3 stations, 4 specimens, 47 to 85 mm. in standard length. 

 Rongerik Atoll: 1 station, 2 specimens, 82 to 90 mm. 



Description. — Dorsal rays XI,27 or 28, anal 11,25; pectoral 14; 

 pelvics 1,3; no branched caudal ray; under side of mouth with 3 to 5 

 dermal tentacles ; small teeth in lower jaw 25 or 26 ; gill opening extends 

 down in front of base of 5th to 7th pectoral fin ray. 



Head (measured from tip of anteriormost projection of snout to 

 rear of fleshy gill cover) 3.9; greatest depth 5.1 to 6.0; longest pectoral 

 ray 6.9 to 7.0; snout tip to anus 2.1; all in standard length. Eye 

 4.7 to 4.8; snout 3.0 to 3.1; postorbital part of head 2.0; least depth 

 of body 2.3 to 2.5; greatest depth 1.3 to 1.4; length from snout tip 

 to rear of mouth or rictus 3.5 to 3.6; width of gill opening 4.4 to 4.6; 



'« Not yet collected in Marshall Islands. 

 422142—60 25 



