266 Mr. C. T. Regan on the 



'j'lie principal genera usually regarded as Blennioid and 

 now excluded from the group are Fataecus, Acanthoclinus, 

 and Gadopsis. 



Pataecus proves to be a Scorprenoid related to Gnathayi- 

 aranthus [cf. Gill, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. 1891, p. 701). 



Acanthoclinus is related to P/esiops, differing especially in 

 the absence of a subocular slielf, the increased number of 

 vertebrae and of dorsal and anal spines, the more advanced 

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

 additional lateral lines. The pelvic fin of Plesiops has a 

 ?pine and four soft rays, the first long, thick, and bifid, the 

 third and fourth small and slender; that of Acanthoclinus 

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

 dinvs indicus, Day, 1888, has large scales and only one 

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

 2)l(siops. 



Gadopsis has the pelvMc tins jugular, reduced to a small 

 spine and a bifid ray; the crowding of the posterior dorsal 

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

 si)henoidand alisphenoid, the three anal spines, &c. are against 

 Blennioid relationships ; this genus is a Percoid of isolated 

 position. 



Division 1. BlenniifoPvMES. 



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

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

 prworbital expanded inwards and firmly united with the 

 lateral ethmoid ; postoibital similarly expanded and solidly 

 united to a lateral expansion of the frontal. 



Family 1. Blenniidje. 



Body naked. Spinous and soft-rayed portions of the 

 dorsal fin subequal ; 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. IMouth 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-cleithra on each side ; hypercoracoid and hypocoracoid 



