GILBERT AND STARKS — FISHES OF PANAMA BAY 180 



Family GOBIESOCIDyE. 



333- Gobiesox rhodospilus GUnlher. 



The types of this species are from Panama, but it was not seen by ns. It is 

 recorded by Boulenger (1898-9, Vol. XIV, [). 8) also from the Bay of Santa Helena, 

 near Guayaquil. 



Oobkmx (jijrlnus Jordan & Evermann (1898, p. 2331) is founded on Giinther's 

 description of specimens in the British Museum, to which he has applied the name 

 Gobiesox nudus Bloch (see Giinther, 18Gli, p. 502). These specimens were partly 

 from the West Indies, partly from the Island of Cardon (misspelled Cordova, fide 

 Giinther, 1868, p. 381) on the Pac-ifio coast of Nicaragua, and arc probably not con- 

 specific. Giinther's description (copied by Jordan and Evermann) was doubtless 

 based upon the adidt specimens from the West Indies, not upon the very immature 

 Nicaragua!! specimens. 



Family BLENNIID^E. 



334. Malacoctenus delalandi {Cuvier S ValencienneH). 



Not seen by us; known fi-om Mazatlan to Guayacpiil (Boulenger, 1898-9, Vol. 

 XIV, p. 8). It is recorded by Giinther (1801 a, p. 371) from the "Pacific coast 

 of Cent!'al America," where it was collected by Captain Dow. 



335. Mnierpes macrocephalus (Giinther). 



This species has been taken sevei-al times at Pa!iama, but was not seen by us. 

 It is recorded by Boulenger (1899, p. 4) from Flamenco Island, Panama Bay. 



336. Auchenopterus monophthalmus Giinther. 



A very abu!!dant species in the tide-pools at Panama. 



The sexes are readily distinguished by the coloration, and by the size of the 

 mouth. In females, the lips, mandibles, and the lower poi'tions of the cheeks and 

 opercles are marbled or finely blotched with dark; the ventrals, the lower pectoral 

 rays and the caudal are cross-barred. In males, all of these regions are plain, 

 except the caudal, which may be faintly barred. In females, the mouth is small, the 

 distance from tip of snout to tip of maxillary not exceeding (in adults) that from 

 tip of snout to posterior edge of pupil. In males, the length of !naxillary as meas- 

 ured above, exceeds the distance f!-om tip of snout to posterior edge of orbit. 



The first three dorsal rays foi-m a detached fin, its posterior membrane joining 

 fourth spine at or immediately above the base. The three spines are flexible, not 

 pungent at tip, much weaker than the succeeding spines. The fourth spine becomes, 

 abruptly stiff and strong. So slender are the tips of the first and seco!id spines that 

 it is difficult to detect them where they terminate in the membrane. The first and 

 second spines are about equal, and a!'e somewhat longer than any of the spines in 



(]6) Jsnoary 8, 10M. 



