Osteologi/ and Classijical/'on of the Gobioid Fishes, 731 



Genera: C\vymepoton^ Io</Iossus, PIiili/jniHs, Dormitator, 

 Eleotris, OJontoiutis, Aster ropteri/.v, UhluckichtJni^, &o., &c. 



Accordiiij^ to Staika (' Science,' xxxiii. 1911, p. 2) the 

 contlitiou ot the shouKlei-girclle in the Gobioids, as exempli- 

 fied by Dormitator niaculatus, is as follows : — " The coracoid 

 elements and the actinosts are arranged in a continuous row 

 on the posterior edoe ot' the clavicle ; the hyj)ercoracoid 

 above, next the actinosts, and endin<r below with the hypo- 

 coracoid — the actinosts attached directly with the clavicle, 

 and separatin^i; the coracoid elements widely from each other." 

 I have examined Dormitator maculatus, and find that the 

 pectoral arch closely resemble^ that of Eleotris marmorata 

 (fig. 2, A), differing only in that the coracoid elements are 

 more widely separated, so that the whole of the third radial 

 and a small part of the second and fourth articulate with the 

 ligamentous tissue separating the hypercoracoid from the 

 hypocoracoid. 



Stark's description applies to Gegenbaur's figure of 

 Goh'ius gxdlalus, but not to any actual Gobioid fish, and I am 

 unable to accept his suggestion that the Gobioids may be an 

 offshoot of the Scorpajnoids ; the resemblance of the pectoral 

 arch of the Gobioids to that of the Cottidto is not yevj close.. 

 for the relation of the first radial to the hypercoracoid is 

 quite diff'erent in the two groups ; from this it results that in 

 the Cottidre the hypercoracoid persists above the first radial, 

 whereas in the GobiidtB it is suppressed. 



Family 2. Gobiidae. 



Pelvic fins, when well developed, united, usually forming 

 an adhesive cup or disc. Palatine T-shaped, with a posterior 

 process for articulation with the lateral ethmoid ; meso- 

 pterygoid vestigial or absent. Hypercoracoid absent ; radials 

 inserted on the cleithrum, only the lowest in contact with the 

 hypocoracoid (fig. 2, B, C). 



The Gobiidai closely resemble the Eleotridas in their osteo- 

 logy except for the characters of specialization enumerated 

 above, although the interorbital region is usually narrower 

 and may even be compressed to a vertical lamina [Perio- 

 phthahnus) with obliteration of the interfrontal suture. 

 Emery has given some figures of the head-skeleton of Gohius 

 capito (Faun. u. Flor. d. Golf. v. Neapel, ii. 1880, pi. iii. 

 figs. 28, 29, c53). These are incorrect in some particulars ; in 

 fig. 28 the epiotics are shown as divided into parietals and 

 epiotics, whilst in fig. 33 the mesopterygoid, which is a 

 small splint on the upper edge of the pterygoid, is not shown, 



