SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 375 



only as far north as Charleston, whence it ranges to Pensacola. Its maximum 

 length is 4 inches. 



Family BLENNIID^. The Blennies. 



The blennies are small or medium sized carnivorous marine and fresh-water 

 fishes, found in all latitudes, the number of known species being about 400, 

 divided into nearly 100 genera. They are particularly abundant on rocky 

 shores and among seaweeds and, while some of them are viviparous, most of 

 them are oviparous The body is moderately or greatly elongated, and more or 

 less compressed; the head large or small; the mouth usually small, sometimes 

 large, never vertical, variously provided with teeth; no spines on head; gill-mem- 

 branes either free from isthmus or joined to it; skin naked or covered with small 

 or moderate sized cycloid or ctenoid scales; lateral line simple, double, or absent; 

 dorsal fin very long, the anterior part, the posterior part, or the entire fin with 

 spines; anal similar to dorsal; caudal sometimes united with dorsal and anal, 

 sometimes distinct, usually rounded; pectorals varying in size, from large to 

 rudimentary; ventrals small or wanting, if present far forward, with'l spine and 

 1 to 3 soft rays. Of the many American genera, 3 closely related are known 

 from North Carolina. 



Key to the North Carolina genera of blennies. 



i. No fang-like canine teeth in posterior part of either jaw; maxillary extending to or beyond 

 posterior border of eye; a cirrus or filament present or absent over each eye. 

 a. Upper profile of head gently curved, the snout sharp; orbital cirrus small or wanting. 



Chasmodes. 

 aa. Upper profile very abruptly curved, the snout blunt; orbital cirrus well developed. 



Hypsoblennius. 



ii. Fang-like canine teeth in posterior part of both jaws; maxillary reaching as far as pupil; 



large cirrus or filament over each eye, with 4 smaller ones at base (the cirrus shorter in 



female) Hypleurochilus. 



Genus CHASMODES Cuvier & Valenciennes. Blennies. 



Body oblong, compressed; head pointed; mouth large, maxillary extending 

 as far as or beyond posterior margin of eye, premaxillaries not protractile; teeth 

 long and slender, in one series and only in front of jaws, no canines; gill-slits very 

 short and above upper half of the base of pectoral fins; lateral line incomplete; 

 skin without scales; a small cirrus over each eye, often wanting; dorsal fin with 

 anterior rays spinous; anal fin similar to soft dorsal; caudal rounded, either 

 united to or free from dorsal; pectorals large; ventrals well developed, jugular, 

 the rays i,3. (Chasmodes, yawning.) 



324. CHASMODES BOSQUIANUS (Lacepede). 

 Banded Blenny. 



Blennius bosquianus Lacepede, Histoire Naturelle des Poissons, ii, 493, 1800; South Carolina. 

 Chasmodes bosquianus, Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 372; Beaufort. Jordan, 1886, 28; Beaufort. Jenkins, 1887, 

 92; Beaufort. Jordan & Evermann, 1898, 2394. 



Diagnosis. — Depth more than .2.5 length; head equal to depth; maxillary reaching to or 

 beyond posterior edge of eye; interorbital space very narrow; tentacle over eye minute or 

 absent; dorsal fin continuous, arising anterior to ventrals and extending to caudal, the rays 



