206 HLKNNtll)^. 



Fam. 24. BLENNIID.E. 



Gobioidei, part., Cuv. Regne Anim. 

 Blennioidei, Miill Berl Abhandl. 1844, p. 201. 

 Blenniidse, Owen, Lect, on Comp. Anat. vert. i. p. 49. 



Body elongate, low, more or less cylindrical, naked, or covered with 

 scales, which are generally small. The infraorbital ring does not arti- 

 culate with the praeoperculum. One, two, or three dorsal fins, occu- 

 pying nearly the whole of the back, — the spinous portion, if distinct, 

 being as much developed as the soft, or more ; sometimes the whole 

 fin composed of spines ; anal fin long ; ventrals jugular*, composed 

 of a few rays, and sometimes rudimentary or entirely absent. Air- 

 bladder generally absent; pyloric appendages none. Pseudobranchiae 

 present f. 



Carnivorous fishes, living at the bottom of the shores of all regions ; 

 several inhabiting fresh waters. 



Miiller has directed the attention of ichthyologists to the presence 

 or absence of pseudobranchise as an excellent character by which the 

 position of these fishes may be determined, in which otherwise it is not 

 evident whether they belong to the Blenniidae or to the Anacanthini. 

 This character, however, appears not to be sufficient, Dactyloscopus 

 and Patcecus forming exceptions, although the structure of their dorsal 

 fin proves that their natural place is with, or near, the Blennioids. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



A. Ventrals Jugular, if present. 



1 . Molar teeth. 



Caudal separate 1. Anarrhichas, p. 208. 



Caudal not separate 2. Anarriiichthys, p. 211. 



2. Molar teeth none. Caudal distinct. 

 a. The spinous and Soft portions of the dorsal fin ol nearly equal extent. 

 Body naked. Jaws with a single series of immoveable 

 teeth, and sometimes with a small posterior canine 

 tooth. Gill-opening wide 3. Blennius, p. 211. 



Body naked. Jaws with a single series of immoveable 

 teeth, and sometimes with a small posterior canine 

 tooth. Gill-opening reduced to a small opening 

 above the pectoral 4. Ciusmodes, p. 228. 



Body naked. Jaws with a single series of immoveable 

 teeth and with a long posterior canine tooth. Gill- 

 opening reduced to a small opening above the pec- 

 tQjal ' 6. Petroscirtes, p. 229. 



* Thoracic in Pseitdohlenmiis. 



t Except in Dactyloscopus and Patacus. 



