108 • BLENNllD.E. 



Fam. 20. BLENNllD.E. 



Mouth more or less protractile, often bordered to a considerable 

 extent by the maxillaries. Lower phalangeal bones separate. Two 

 nostrils on each side. Suborbitals often forming a more or less distinct 

 subocular shelf. Gill-membranes usually attached to isthmus. Scapula 

 and coraeoid more or less developed, sometimes much reduced, the 

 former pierced by a foramen ; 4 or 5 hourglass-shaped pterygials, one 

 or two of which are in contact w"ith the coraeoid. Ventral fins, if 

 present, jugular, with not more than 4 rays. Dorsal and anal fins 

 elongate, the former constituted entirely of spines, or anteriorly of 

 spines or non-articulated rays, and posteriorly of soft rays. Body naked 

 or with small scales. Most of the praicaudal vertebra; with strong 

 transverse processes supporting the ribs. 



Cosmopolitan. Mostly murine. 



Two genera have representatives in the fresh waters of Africa : — 



All the teeth iinniovalilc 1. Blenmtis, L., p. lOS. 



IMovahlc teeth implanted ill the 1^11111 2. Salarias, (^u\.. \>. \ 10. 



1. BLENNIUS. 



Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 141 (ITGi'iJ, part. ; Cuv.ct Val. in.<t. i'oiss. xi. p. l'.)7 {16?>G); 



Giinth. Cat. Fi.-li. iii. p. 211 (liiOl). 

 Ii-lillii/ocorig, BoiKip. Icon. Faun. Ital., I'esci (1840). 



A series of immovable teeth in the jaws, often with one or two curved 

 canines on each side ; palate toothless. Gill-openings wide, gill- 

 membrane extending across the throat. Dorsal fin elongate, all the 

 rays simple, flexible, or the Ja^t branched ; anal similar to dorsal, 

 but shorter. Ventral fins with a small spine and 2 or 3 rays. Body 

 naked. 



Coasts of the Northern Hemisphere, Brazil, and the South Pacific. 

 Fiesh waters of the Mediterranean basin. One species in Algeria. 



I. BLENNIUS FRATEU. 



JJlennius, Asso y del Kio, Litrod. Oryctoor. et Zooi. Araoon. p. 95, |il. vi. tig. 2 



(1784). 

 BU'iinius /rater, Bloch, Selineid. Syst. Tehiliyol. p. 171 (ItUl) ; Ciiv. & Val. lli-t. 



Poiss. xi. p. 252 (18:'.(;). 

 JSliiiiiiits siijejianiis (noii Laeep.), Risso, Tchthyol. Nice, p. liil (181(1); Blaiuli. 



I'oiss. France, \>. 255, liir. (18G(i). 



