114 GOBIES OF THE PHILIPPINES 



Dorsal VI, 1-10 ; anal I, 8 ; there are 36 to 38 scales in a longi- 

 tudinal series and 12 in a transverse series. 



The somewhat elongate body wedge-shaped when viewed from 

 above, with strongly compressed sides and tapering caudal pe- 

 duncle, the depth 4.4 to 5 in the length; the head large, with 

 convex upper profile, 3.3 to 3.4 in the length, its breadth greater 

 than its depth and 1.4 to 1.5 in its own length; the broad blunt 

 snout equals or is 0.875 of eye, which is contained 3.5 to 3.875 

 times in head ; the eyes dorsolateral and very close together, the 

 interorbital half an eye diameter or less ; the mouth large, ter- 

 minal, with thick fleshy lips fringed on the inside, the posterior 

 angle of maxillary beneath pupil of eye; the outer row of teeth 

 in upper jaw enlarged and widely spaced ; behind it three rows 

 of much smaller teeth, the teeth of the last two minute ; in lower 

 jaw the outer row enlarged, but the teeth are a little smaller than 

 in outer row above; in forward half of jaw a broad band of 

 four rows of small teeth lies behind outer row, which continues 

 to posterior limit of mouth; in one specimen a pair of small 

 lateral canines terminates the inner band ; the body covered with 

 ctenoid scales, large posteriorly, becoming very small and 

 crowded before first dorsal, and extending on nape a little for- 

 ward of opercle, but not to eyes ; the head naked except on part 

 of nape ; the pectoral bases scaled and the breast partially scaled ; 

 there are small but conspicuous pores as follows : One in front 

 of eye, two on the interorbital space, one in the naked space 

 behind eye, one on posterior margin of eye at origin of supra- 

 opercular groove and three more on the groove, and two on 

 posterior margin of preopercle; the dorsals are separated, the 

 height of first 1.5 to 1.8 times in depth; the second dorsal and 

 anal similar in height and shape, the anterior rays shortest, the 

 posterior rays of Philippine specimens not reaching caudal 

 when depressed, 1.47 to 1.1 in depth; the pectoral broad, rounded, 

 the upper rays silky, its length equal to or slightly more than 

 depth; the ventrals broad, not quite reaching anus, equal to or 

 slightly less than depth, about a tenth less than pectoral; the 

 broadly rounded caudal a little less than head, 1.1 to 1.2 (not 2 

 in head as given by Jordan and Evermann), and more than the 

 depth. 



The color of alcoholic specimens varies greatly, as indeed 

 is the case with living specimens; in some there is a series of 

 four or five broad, dark brown crossbands over back, with six 



