718 The Blennies: Blenniide 
for the great length of the upper jaw, which is formed as in 
Opisthognathus. Its membranes are brightly colored, being 
edged with bright yellow. Gibbonsia elegans is the pretty ; 
“senorita’’ of the coralline-lined rock-pools of California. Lepi- 
soma nuchipinne, with a fringe of filaments at the nape, is very 
Fie. 616.—Kelp Blenny, Gibbonsia evides Jordan & Gilbert. San Diego. 
abundant in rock-pools of the West Indies. The species of 
Auchenopterus abound in the rock-pools of tropical America. 
These are very small neatly colored fishes with but one soft ray } 
in the long dorsal fin. Species of Tripterygion, Myxodes, Cris- 
ticeps, and other genera abound in the South Pacific. 
In Blennius and its relatives the body is scaleless and the 
slender teeth are arranged like the teeth of a comb. In most ; 
Fic. 617.—Blennius cristatus L. Florida. 
species long, fang-like posterior canines are developed in the 
jaws. Blennius is represented in Europe by many species, blen- 
nius galerita, ocellaris, and basiliscus being among the most com- 
mon. Certain species inhabit Italian lakes, having assumed a 
fresh-water habit. The numerous American species mostly 
