2G6 Mr. C. T. Regan on the 



The principal genera usually regarded as Blennioid and 

 now excluded from the group are Fataecus, Acanthoclinus, 

 and Gadopsis. 



Fataecus proves to be a Scorpsenoid related to Oiiathan- 

 acanthus {cf. Gill, P.oc. U.S. Nat. Mu?. xiv. 1891, p._701). 



Acanthoclinus is related to F/esiops, differing- especially in 

 the absence of a subocular shelf, the increased number o£ 

 vertebrae and of dorsal and anal spines, the more advanced 

 pelvic tins with fewer rays, the smaller scales, and the 

 additional lateral lines. Tlie pelvic fin of Plesiops has a 

 .t^pine and four soft rays, the first long, thick, and bifid, the 

 third and fourth small and slender; tlvAt of Ac(i7ithocltnus 

 differs only in the absence of the two inner rays. Acantho- 

 clinus hidicus, Day, 1888, has large scales and only one 

 lateral line ; I propose for it the new generic name Acantho- 

 plesiops. 



Gadopsis has the pelvic fins jugular, reduced to a small 

 P])ine and a bifid ray; the crowding of the posterior dorsal 

 and anal rays, the intervention of the prootic between para- 

 sphenoid and alisphenoid, the three anal spines, &c. are against 

 Blennioid relationships ; this genus is a Percoid of isolated 

 position. 



Division 1. BlenniifORMES. 



Each basal bone of the dorsal and anal fins attached to its 

 own neural or.hfemal spine. Suborbital ring stout, rigid; 

 prasorbital expanded inwards and firmly united with the 

 lateral ethmoid ; postorbital similarly expanded and solidly 

 united to a lateral expansion of the frontal. 



Family 1. Blenniidae. 



Body naked. Spinous and soft-rayed portions of the 

 dorsal fin subcqual ; 1 or 2 anal spines; caudal free, with 

 about 13 principal rays ; pelvics jugular, each of a small 

 spine and 2 to 4 simple rays. JMouth not protractile; max- 

 illary almost or quite excluded from the gape; jaws with a 

 single series of slender close-set teeth, resembling the teeth 

 of a comb, within which curved canines may be developed; 

 ))alate usually toothless. Palatines separated by the vomer ; 

 pterygoid connecting palatine with quadrate. Parietals 

 separated by the supraoccipital ; exoccipital condyles wide 

 apart ; skull more or less contracted and compressed imme- 

 diately behind the postorbital expansions of the frontals ; 

 sphenotic remote from the orbit. Post-temporal forked ; two 

 post-clcithra on each side ; hypercoracoid and hypocoracoid 



