GoBIOMOHrilS. 



239 



GOBIOMORPHI. 



Bodij, anteriodij at least, terete or ereii depressed, in the remaining part elongated and low or hulkg and fairlg 

 deep. The great majority of the rays of the tmpaired fins soft; anterior {spinous-rayed) part of the dorsal fin 

 shorter than the posterior {soft-rayed), and generally with flexible spinous rays, sometimes hidden under the skin 

 or entirely wanting. Ventral fins thoracic or jugular, well-developed and sometimes free from each other., hat 

 generally united in a funnel-shape or together forming an adhesive disk". Pectoral fins ivith broad basal hones. 

 Branched rays of the caudal fin generally few {under 13); hut sometimes even the supporting rays of this fin 

 are branched. Suborbital ring generally without any osseous connexion with the preoperculum. Vomer and pio-^O'l- 

 ine bones in most cases toothless. Anal papilla ivell-developed, at least in the male. Scaly covering of the skin ex- 

 tremely rariahle: sometimes abundant and regular, consisting of thin ctenoid or cycloid scales, sometimes verruco,se 

 or tubercular; while sometimes there are no scales on the highly muciparous skin. 



This series of families, corresponding to Gunther's" 

 two series, Gobiiformes and Gobiesociformes, is com- 

 posed of distinct bottom-fishes, most of \vhich live on 

 the sea-coast, and only a few occur in fresh water. 

 Like the Blennomorphs, these fishes are also, in general, 

 tenacious of life, as the relatively small size of their 

 gill-openings enables them, though out of the water, 

 to retain the moisture on their branchial lamellaa for 

 some time. The abundant mucous seci'etion of the 

 skin, which is so common in these fishes, also contri- 

 l)utcs to this result. Like most of the Blennomorjjhs, 



the majority of the Gobiomorphs also have no air- 

 bladder. The difference in the development of the 

 ventral fins, as well as in the structure of the rays of 

 the dorsal fin, however, renders this series of fishes a 

 sharp contrast to the preceding one. The most remark- 

 able peculiarity of this series also lies in the emploj-- 

 ment of the former fins (the pelvic apparatus), and also 

 in the reduction which sometimes appears in the spi- 

 nous-rayed part of tlie dorsal fin. 



The series corresponds to Muller's" family Gobi- 

 oidei, witli tlie exception of Echeneis. 



" In Oxudei'ces, a Chinese species, liowever, the ventral flns are wanting. 



'' Systematic Sy7iopsis, Cat. Brit. Jfus., Fish., p. VII {Acanthopterygii GobiiforiiieK) and p. IX (Acanthopterygii Gobiesociformes); 

 Inirod. .Stnd. Fish., pp. 483 and 510: Handb. d. IclithyoL, pp. 343 and 363. 

 ' Abh. Akad. Wiss. Berlin 1844, Phys. Ahh., p. 158. 



