blenniidae: blenniinae — schultz 381 



extends from front of snout across dorsal edge of eye, thence along 

 upper side and ending on upper side of caudal peduncle; a short white 

 middorsal line extends from interorbital space to dorsal origin; the 

 dark brown lateral streak continues on caudal fin on middle ray as a 

 narrow black line; outer third of dorsal fin blackish with edge white; 

 anal dusky edged with white; pectoral and pel vies hyaline; caudal 

 white, except for median black streak; underside of snout white. 



Ecology. — All of our specimens came from the lagoon reefs where 

 coral heads were not very numerous and the bottom between the coral 

 heads was composed of loose "coral" sand. 



Genus MEIACANTHUS Norman 



Meiacanthus Norman, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 11, vol. 10, p. 805, 1943 (type 

 species, Petroscirtes oualensis Giinther). 



MEIACANTHUS ATRODORSALIS (Gunther) 



Platk 120,D 

 Petroscirtes atrodorsalis Gijnther, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, vol. 4, pt. 13, p. 198, 

 pi. 115, fig. B, 1877 (type locality, Samoa). 



Specimens studied. — Rongelap Atoll, Rongelap Island, lagoon coral 

 head, depth 18 feet, July 25, S-46-286, Brock, Herald and Kohler, 

 3 specimens, 46 to 54 mm. in standard length; Rongelap Atoll, Tufa 

 Island, depth 28 feet, July 29, S-46-300, Herald and Brock, 1 speci- 

 men, 65 mm.; Rongelap Atoll, Naen Island, depth 10 feet, July 30, 

 S-46-302, Herald, 1 specimen, 35 mm. 



Description. — Dorsal rays IV,26 or 27; anal 11,16 or 17, usually II, 

 17; pectoral 14 or 15, usually 15; pelvics 1,3; a pair of tentacles on 

 underside of head present or absent; no tentacles on eye; small incisor- 

 like teeth in lower jaw about same number and size as in upper jaw 

 or 20 to 22 in both jaws; a small canine on each side of upper jaw, 

 separated from incisorlike teeth by a deep edentulous notch; canine 

 each side of lower jaw enormous in size compared with upper one; 

 gill opening extending to opposite upper edge of base pectoral fin. 



Head (tip of most anterior projection of snout to rear edge of fleshy 

 gill cover) 3.6 to 4.7, greatest depth 3.6 to 4.9; longest pectoral ray 

 5.5 to 7.3; snout tip to anus 2.0 to 2.1; all in the standard length. 

 Eye 3.1 to 3.7; snout 3.3 to 3.7; postorbital length of head 2.0 to 2.1; 

 least depth of body 2.1 to 2.7; greatest depth l.l; length from snout 

 tip to rear of mouth or rictus 3.2 to 3.8; width of gill opening 4.9 to 

 6.0; longest dorsal spine 1.8 to 1.9; all in length of head. Bony inter- 

 orbital space 1.1 to 1.5 in eye. Eye 0.8 to 1.1 m snout. 



Lips without folds; lower canmes greatly enlarged, those of upper 

 jaw small, represented by short curved canme on each side, covered 

 by Up; teeth in both jaws firm, immovable, of equal size and number 

 in both jaws; dentigerous edge of both jaws much rounded; mouth 



