188 ACANTHOPTERYGIL 



Seventh Group— Acanthopterygii Gobiesociformes. 



A single spineless dorsal fin consisting of few or a moderate number of 

 rays : it and the anal are situated in the caudal portion of the body. Ventrals 

 subjugular, with an adhesive apparatus between them. Body scaleless. 



Family, XX— GOBIESOCIILE, Bleeker. 



Branchiostegals five or six: pseudobranchise rudimentary. Gills three and 

 a half. Body elongated, anteriorly depressed. Eyes lateral. Teeth conical or 

 compressed. A single spineless dorsal fin, consisting of a few or a moderate 

 number of rays, both it and the short anal are situated in the caudal portion 

 of the body. Ventrals subjugular, placed wide asunder, consisting of one spine 

 and four or five rays separated by an adhesive disc. Scales absent. Air- 

 bladder absent. No pyloric appendages. 



These small littoral forms are distributed from the shores of Northern 

 Europe, through the temperate regions of both hemispheres, while some are 

 present within the tropics. They are mostly found between high and low water 

 mark, where they firmly attach themselves to rocks, stones or stationary objects. 

 The adhesive disc is not similar to the same organ in Cyclopterus and Liparis, 

 as instead of the ventral fins forming its groundwork they are placed wide 

 asunder, the disc being between them, and only the under surface of some of 

 their rays constituting a small portion of the entire circumference of the organ. 



Genus I. — Lepadogastek, Gouan. 



Mirbelia, Canestrini. Gobiesox, Lacep. 



Branchiostegals five or six : pseudobranchio3 rudimentary . Anterior portion of 

 the body and snout broad and depressed. Gill openings of moderate width : the 

 gill membranes attached to the isthmus. Teeth pointed. Ventrals, dorsal and 

 anal fins as defined in the Family, the two last may be either confluent with or 

 distinct from the caudal fin. Scales absent. Air-bladder and pyloric appendages 

 absent. 



The genus Mirbelia was instituted for the reception of forms in which the 

 vertical fins were not continuous. 



Geographical distribution. — From the shores of Scandinavia to the British 

 Isles and Madeira, also along the coast of France to the Mediterranean. 



Remarking upon the habits of one species, Mr. Gosse (Tenby, p. 181) observes 

 that "It is the habit of this tiny fish to lay its eggs in the interior of old shells 

 of bivalves that lie on the bottom : and it would appear that it is one of those 

 species which exercise a parental care over their offspring, watching the eggs 

 until the young are hatched. We can scarcely call it incubation: but the little 

 animal coils itself up among its spawn, adhering by the sucking disc of its 

 belly to the interior of the shell, and continuing there with remarkable 

 pertinacity. I have kept my specimen now for seven days, during the whole of 

 which time I do not believe it has left the old cockle shell even for a minute . . . 

 the embryos continue to be matured from day to day." 



There can be no doubt but that the species included in this genus have been 



