37 



Th« Smooth Lump-sucker, Lethotremis vinolentis (Jordan and 

 Starks), (Fig. 86) is known by a single specimen. It is a tiny sub- 

 globular fish, half an inch in length, with a smooth skin and two dis- 

 tinct dorsal fins. 



FAMILY 38. SEA-SNAILS; LIPAKIDAE. 



A group of tadpole-shaped fishes with a loose scaleless skin. The 

 dorsal fins are joined to form a continuous structure. The ventral fins 

 are modified as in the preceding group to form a sucking disk. Seven 

 species of this family are on record from this region. All of these are 

 placed in the genus Liparis and the specific distinctions are in some 

 cases so technical they are hard to discriminate. Most of them are of 

 small size, rarely more than six inches in length. The several species 

 may be enumerated as follows: 



Green's Sea-snail, Liparis greeni (Jordan and Starks), (Fig. 87). 



Flora's Sea-snail, Liparis florae (Jordan and Gilbert). 



Beautiful Tooth Sea-snail, Liparis callyodon (Pallas), (Fig. 88). 

 The origin of the scientific name of this species is rather odd. When 

 it was first studied by Pallas in 1811 in material derived from Alaska 

 he noticed the peculiar tricuspid teeth of the fish, and he therefore 

 called it callyodon, a Greek word meaning beautiful tooth. 



Round-finned Sea-snail, Liparis cyclopus (Gunther). 



Denny's Sea-snail, Liparis dennyi (Jordan and Starks). Named 

 in honor of Mr. Charles L. Denny of Seattle. 



Straits Sea-snail, Liparis fucensis (Gilbert). 



Beautiful Sea-snail, Liparis pulchellus (Ayres). 



FAMILY 39. RONQUILS; BATHYMASTERIDAE. 



This small family is represented by a single species in Puget 

 Sound. It is known as Jordan's Ronquil, Ronquilus jordani (Gilbert). 

 ( Fig. 89 ) . The body in this fish is elongated, suggesting the blenny 

 type, and the skin is covered with small ctenoid scales which extend 

 onto the cheeks. Along the lateral line the scales are enlarged. There 

 are no barbels, crests or spines on the head. The dorsal fin is long and 

 high, and the anal has a similar formation. The lateral line is con- 

 spicuous and high up on the side. The coloration is quite variable, 

 some specimens being much more beautifully marked than others. 



FAMILY 40. GOBIES; GOBIIDAE. 



Although five species of this family are recorded from Puget Sound 

 or adjacent waters, none of them seem to be common. Most of them 

 are quite small, rarely exceeding a few inches. The body is slender 

 and clothed with scales. The lateral line is absent. The distinctive 



