292 GOBIES OF THE PHILIPPINES 



the head as follows: One by the posterior nostril, four in the 

 interorbital space, two behind the eye, three on the supraoper- 

 cular groove, and three or more on the posterior edge of the 

 preopercle. Some species have the body covered with a very 

 thick slime, which is hardened by alcohol into a firm false skin, 

 entirely concealing the true skin. 



Fifteen or more species have been described, at least half of 

 them probably not valid. The colors are rather variable, and 

 the earlier descriptions omitted details so that, without compar- 

 ison with the types, it is impossible to be certain what they 

 were. 



These little fishes abound in the coral reefs of the Indian and 

 Pacific Oceans. 



Key to the Philippine species of Gobiodon. 



a 1 . Second dorsal with 11 rays; no crosslines on head; a conspicuous black 



spot at upper angle of opercle G. fulvus. 



a*. Second dorsal with 10 rays; head with four or more crossbands; no spot 



on opercle. 



b 1 . Four canines on each side of lower jaw; first or first and second 

 dorsal spines longest, higher than second dorsal; a black-edged, 



blue stripe on base of dorsals and anal G. hypselopterus. 



6 2 . One canine on each side of lower jaw; first dorsal a fourth lower than 

 second; no basal stripe on vertical fins G. quinquestrigatus. 



149. GOBIODON FULVUS sp. nov. 



Dorsal VI, 1-11 ; anal I, 8 or 9 ; pectoral 18 or 19. 



The naked body oblong-ovate, much flattened laterally, the 

 depth 2.4 to 2.6 times in length; the upper profile convex, the 

 front of head nearly vertical, the head 3.8 to 4.1 in length, its 

 depth greater than its length, 2.8 to 3.6 times in total length; 

 the head little wider than body, its breadth 1.7 to 2.1 in its own 

 length; the snout rather variable in length, 2.6 to 4 times in 

 head; the small eyes placed very near front margin of profile, 

 4 to 6 times in head; the interorbital space narrow, rising high 

 above eyes, which it equals in width; the mouth small, curved, 

 oblique to nearly horizontal, the posterior angle of maxillary 

 beneath middle or latter part of eye; there are two rows of 

 teeth in each jaw, with one or two canines 071 each side of lower 

 jaw behind symphysis ; the teeth of outer row larger and more 

 widely spaced than those in inner row, which are excessively mi- 

 nute ; the first dorsal low, 0.6 to 0.8 of height of second dorsal and 

 a little more than half (0.53) the depth of body; the height of 

 second dorsal to 0.86 of depth of body ; the anal equals second 



