376 



FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



XI, 19; anal rays ii,19: caudal fin joined to dorsal. Color: Male olive green, with about 9 

 narrow longitudinal blue lines; opercular margin orange yellow; spinous dorsal with a broad 

 median orange yellow stripe; anal dark, with white tip; a dusky spot at base of caudal. 

 Female darker, with narrow wavy pale green lines and several broad dark bars; head with 

 black dots; a dusky spot at base of caudal. (Named for Bosc, the French consul who collected 

 for Lacepede at Charleston.) 



A well known and rather abundant blenny of the east coast from New York 

 to Florida. It is common in Beaufort Harbor on the shoals. The sexes are 

 quite dissimilar in color, and have several times been described as different 

 species. Maximum length 4 inches. 



Genus HYPSOBLENNIUS Gill. Blennies, 



Form oblong, compressed; head short, profile steep, snout blunt; mouth 

 small, horizontal; maxillary extending to middle of eye or to posterior border; 

 teeth long, slender, in a single series in each jaw, none of them canine; gill-open- 

 ings very much reduced, owing to the junction of the gill-membranes with the 

 isthmus as far upward as base of pectorals; skin naked; lateral line deficient 

 posteriorly; well developed tentacles over eyes; dorsal fin long, anterior part 

 spinous and separated from posterior by a slight notch; anal similar to posterior 

 dorsal; caudal rounded, free from dorsal and anal; pectorals well developed; 

 ventrals jugular, with 1 strong spine and 3 unbranched jointed rays. Small 

 American shore fishes, found on both coasts; 2 Atlantic species, 1 ranging from 

 Texas to South Carolina (ionthas), and the following. (Hypsohlennius, high 

 blenny.) 



■"■A- 



v:-^^^ 



Fig. 172. Blenny. Hypsoblennius hentz. 

 325. HYPSOBLENNIUS HENTZ (LeSueur). 

 Blenny; Spotted Seaweed-fish. 



Blennius hetit LeSueur, Journal Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, iv, 1825, 363; Charleston, S. C. 

 Hypleurochilus punctatus, Yarrow, 1877, 206; Beaufort. Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 372; Beaufort. Jenkins, 



1887, 92; Beaufort. 

 Isesthes punctatus, Jordan, 1886, 28; Beaufort. 

 Hypsoblennius hentz, Jordan & Evermann, 189S, 2390, pi. cecxxxix, fig. 823; North and South Carolina, etc. 



Linton, 1905, 410; Beaufort. 



Diagnosis. — Body rather deep, depth .33 length; head short, .3 length; snout very short 

 and nearly vertical; mouth low, horizontal, maxillary extending to or beyond posterior margin 

 of eye; eye large, more than .2 length of head; interorbital space concave, .5 diameter of eye; 



