46 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 284 



Smith and Bailey (1962) reported that most teleosts, including 

 the basal percoids, have six circumorbitals. The blenniids and most 

 of the other members of the Blenniicae have five circumorbitals, 

 thus indicating specialization for this character. 



The dorsoposteriormost circumorbital (dermosphenotic) of blen- 

 niids is the most reduced of the series and frequently is completely 

 overlapped laterally and excluded from view by the next, more 

 ventral circumorbital. 



The presence or absence of a subocular shelf in most blenniids 

 is a matter of subjective decision. The structure ranges from not, 

 or only slightly, present to clearly present and well developed (Stanulus 

 seychellensis) . Gosline (1968) beheved that only Trachinus and the 

 congrogadoids among the blennioids had a subocular shelf. 



Jaws and dentition. — Norman (1943) in splitting off two sub- 

 famHies of the Blenniidae (Blenniinae and Salariinae) used the nature 

 of the jaws and teeth as primary characters. Most workers, including 

 myself, have followed Norman's classification. WhUe the jaws and 

 dentition are the most important characters for separating the Salari- 

 ini as a taxonomic group, considerably more detail than was used 

 by Norman is necessary to explain them. During my study I have 

 been able to elaborate somewhat on the matter, but more data, 

 primarily histological, are needed on the structure and the relation- 

 ships of the teeth to the jaws before a full meaning of the characters 

 can be analyzed. 



In the Blenniini a canine, rarely two, is present on each premax- 

 Ulary and each dentary of most species (absent from both jaws in 

 Chasmodes and Hypsoblennius) . The canines range from not enlarged 

 (some species of Blennius) to greatly enlarged (Hypleurochilus) , and 

 there may or may not be a diastema between the premaxillary comb- 

 like teeth and the canines; there is no diastema on the dentary. 

 The dentary canines are slightly larger than the premaxillary canines. 

 The comblike teeth number 14 to 56 on the premaxillaries (combined 

 count of both sides) and 15 to 64 on the dentaries (combined count 

 of both sides). Usually the upper jaw has more teeth than the lower, 

 but there is some variation within species. The number of teeth in- 

 creases significantly with growth in most species. I (1959b, 1967a) 

 have noted this for Chasmodes bosguianus and Hypsoblennius sordidus, 

 and Randall (1966) has noted it for Hypleurochilus aequipinnis. The 

 teeth are firmly attached to the jaw bones, but, even so, they are still 

 slightly movable. 



In the Blenniini the replacement teeth develop within the jawbone, 

 which is essentially a bony capsule surrounding a mass of connective 

 tissue. The advanced replacement teeth appear within the jawbone 

 with their tips protruding through foramina (pi. 1). 



