308 



GOBIES OF THE PHILIPPINES 



the head and nape slightly convex or nearly flat above, the depth 

 4.6 to over 5 times in length; the head very large, though not 

 very long, depressed anteriorly, 4 to 4.28 times in length, its 

 breadth a little more than its depth and 78 to 82 per cent of 

 its own length; the snout long, convex, broadly rounded, 2 to 

 2.3 times in head; the eyes lateral, very high up, their upper 

 margin even with upper profile, 3 to 4 times in snout, and 6.66 

 to 9 times in head; the flat interorbital usually equal to or 

 may be 1.25 times in snout; the mouth slightly oblique, the 

 upper lip with a median cleft behind which is a conspicuous, 



long-pointed papilla and with a 

 median saclike or alveoluslike 

 incision on each half of lip, 

 each with a stout but rather 

 short papilla behind it, the 

 inner margin of lip with rugose 

 tubercles; the posterior angle 

 of maxillary may be under an- 

 terior or posterior margin of 

 eye; the teeth in upper jaw in 

 a closely packed row, their 

 honey yellow tips long and 

 pointed; the central cusp long, 

 its tip curved backward, very 

 acute in lateral view, the lat- 

 eral cups much smaller, sharp 

 pointed, erect, as shown in the 

 figure; on lower lip is a row 

 of simple, pointed, horizontal 

 teeth set close together ; besides 

 the hooked canines at symphy- 

 sis there are six to eight stout conical teeth on each side of lower 

 jaw, the middle ones small, the others almost or quite as large 

 as the symphysial teeth ; posteriorly from a line drawn opposite 

 fifth dorsal spine the scales are comparatively large and of 

 uniform size; anteriorly from this point the scales are much 

 smaller, becoming very small on nape; the axil of pectoral, the 

 belly beneath the ventrals, and the breast in front of them all 

 naked; the dorsals well separated, the first dorsal elevated, the 

 third spine longest, the tips more or less elongated and thread- 

 like, 3.2 to 4.6 times in length ; the second dorsal has the poste- 

 rior rays pointed, angulate, extending upon base of caudal when 



FIG. 2. Sicyoptervs crassus sp. 

 side of a tooth. 



