256 GOBIES OF THE PHILIPPINES 



126. OXYURICHTHYS OCULO-MIRUS sp. nov. 



Dorsal VI, 1-12; anal I, 13; there are 72 to 76 scales in a 

 longitudinal series, about 24 in a transverse series, and 17 to 20 

 scales before first dorsal. 



The long, deep body strongly compressed laterally, the dorsal 

 profile nearly straight, the ventral profile but little curved and 

 tapering upward from origin of anal to caudal ; the depth from 

 5.1 to 6 times in length ; the width of head greater than that of 

 body but less than its own depth, its length 3.8 to 4.1 times in 

 head and trunk together; the length of the strongly convex, 

 blunt snout from 3 to 3.4 times in head; the eyes high up, dor- 

 solateral, close together, 3.9 to 4.4 in head; on posterior half of 

 upper part of eye the sclerotic coat forms a low fold which 

 culminates in a teatlike projection; the mouth strongly oblique, 

 with projecting lower jaw, the posterior angle of upper jaw 

 extending to a point below pupil of eye ; there are from twenty- 

 two to twenty-four rather widely spaced, fixed, pointed, slightly 

 curved teeth, in each half of upper jaw, extending posteriorly 

 to the extreme angle of mouth; in lower jaw are two rows of 

 much smaller and more closely set teeth which also extend back 

 to posterior angle of mouth; the base of pectoral, the nuchal 

 crest and a space behind eyes, the opercles, and preopercles all 

 scaleless; the snout, preopercles, and a naked space behind eyes 

 all marked by furrows ; the anterior nostril very far forward, low 

 down, covered by a very thin walled tubule ; the posterior nostril 

 large, open, and on a level with or below lower margin of eye; 

 the scales on trunk irregularly arranged, the posterior ones 

 largest, those on nape smallest; the naked nuchal portion sur- 

 mounted by a very low skinny fold ; the tips of the dorsal spines 

 threadlike, the longest spines equal to depth of body, the first 

 dorsal joined to second dorsal ; the base of second dorsal equals 

 that of anal in length, their outline is similar, and the posterior 

 rays of each reach beyond base of caudal when depressed; the 

 next to the last ray in each fin is longest, that of anal equal to or 

 slightly greater than the depth, that of second dorsal consider- 

 ably longer; the depth of caudal peduncle 2.2 to 2.3 in head; 

 the very long and pointed caudal contained 2.1 to 2.5 times in 

 head and trunk together ; the large, broad pectoral extends back 

 as far as above second ray of anal ; the tip of the ventrals may 

 reach the short, conical, pointed anal papilla. 



The color in alcohol dusky gray above, with a more or less 

 yellowish cast, lighter below and white on belly; eight more or 

 less distinct, dusky crossbands extend from base of dorsal to 



