2386 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



887. HYPSOBLENNIUS,* Gill. 



Hypsoblennius, GILL, Cat. Fish. East Coast U. S., 20, 1861 (hentz; no diagnosis). 

 Isesthes, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 757, 1883 (gentilis). 

 Slenniolus, JORDAN & EVERMANN, new subgenus (brevipinnis) . 



This genus differs from Blennins in the absence of canine teeth and in 

 the restriction of the gill openings to the sides, the gill membranes being 

 fully united to the isthmus as far upward as the base of the pectorals ; ven- 

 tral with 1 short, strong spine and 3 simple, articulated rays. The known 

 species are American, (vipi, high; Blennius.) 



HYPSOBLENNIUS : 



a. Dorsal fin continuous, its margin entire or slightly notched. 

 b. Dorsal rays XI to XIII, 17 to 19. Pacific species. 



c. Orbital cirrus multifid ; spines of dorsal stiff; sides blotched or freckled. 



GILBERTI, 2735. 



cc. Orbital cirrus simple or fringed. 



d. Spines of dorsal slender and flexible ; sides with round dark spots ; 



anal rays 21. GENTILIS, 2736. 



dd. Spines of dorsal rather stiff; sides with irregular dark cross bands 



rather than spots; anal rays 19. STRIATUS, 2737. 



66. Dorsal rays XII, 14 or XII, 15. Atlantic species. 



e. Orbital cirrus simple, large or small; body everywhere with dark spots; 



dorsal spines rather low, stinish. IONTHAS, 2738. 



ee. Orbital tentacle forked at tip, long in males; d9rsal spines stiff; body 



spotted. HENTZ, 2739. 



BLENNTOLUS, (diminutive form, from Blenniut) : 



aa. Dorsal fin deeply notched, very short, its rays XI, 12 or XII, 12 ; orbital tentacle 

 slender, fringed; a dark lateral shade. BREVIPINNIS, 2740. 



Subgenus HYPSOBLENNIUS, Gill. 

 2735. HYPSOBLEBWIUS GILBERTI (Jordan). 



Head 4 in length (4 with caudal) ; depth 4 (4|). D. XII, 19; A. II, 21. 

 Body comparatively robust, deep, and compressed. Head large, rounded, 

 the anterior profile less blunt than in H. gentilis and less rounded, nearly 

 straight from tip of snout to above eye, thence again nearly straight to 

 front of dorsal. Length of snout about equal to diameter of eye, 4 in 

 head. Mouth rather small, terminal, the maxillary reaching to opposite 

 middle of eye, 2 in head. Teeth subequal, with no trace of posterior 

 canines. Superciliary tentacle large, multifid, much branched from near 

 the base, the principal division 3f- in head. Gill openings larger than in 

 H. gentilis, extending downward to the level of lower edge of pectoral, the 

 length of the slit If in head. Lateral line developed beyond the straight 

 part, its posterior portion curved downward. Dorsal fin continuous, with 

 a slight but distinct depression between the spinous and soft parts, the 

 spines somewhat curved, but stiff and strong, the longest spine about 2 

 in head ; longest soft rays 2 in head. Caudal fin free from dorsal and anal, 

 H in head; ventrals 1 in head; pectorals about as long as head. Males, 



* The recent identification ofSlennius hentz with Isetthes punctatus enables us to under- 

 stand the undefined genus Hypsoblennius, and to substitute it for the later Isesthes. Our 

 judgment is opposed to the recognition of such unexplained "tvponYms," but we defer to 

 the custom of the American Ornithologists' Union. 



