FAMILY, XXVII— GOBIID^E. 281 



Family, XXVII— GOBIIM!. 



Pseudobranchise present, sometimes rudimentary. Gill-openings varying from extremely narrow to 

 wide : the gill membranes attached to the isthmus : four gills. Body generally elongated. Eyes lateral, 

 occasionally prominent, and mostly without free orbital margins, the skin being continued directly over their 

 surface. The infraorbital ring of bones does not articulate with the preopercle. Teeth of varying characters, 

 canines present or absent : inferior pharyngeal bones may be separated, or coalesced with a median suture. 

 A single rayed dorsal fin, sometimes divided into two portions, the spines are flexible, and this part of the 

 fin has less rays than the remainder : anal similar to the soft dorsal : ventrals sometimes united so as to form 

 a disk, or arising close together. Scales and lateral-line present or absent. Air-vessel generally absent. 

 Pyloric appendages, if present, few.- 



This Family has been subject to numerous subdivisions, due to the great variations observable amongst 

 those species of which it is composed. Bleeker in his elaborate paper divides them as follows : — 



I. Eleotriformes, with the ventrals free and completely separated. 



II. Gobiiformes, with the ventrals entirely united together, or only in their basal halves : two dorsals 

 separated or only united at their bases. 



III. Amblyopodiformes, with the vertical fins united, a single dorsal which occupies the entire length of 



the back. 



IV. I/uciogobiiformes, with a single short dorsal situated in the last half of the body. 



SYNOPSIS OF GENERA. 



A. Gobiina.* Ventrals forming a disk, being united along their whole extent, or only in 

 their basal halves : two separate dorsal fins. 



1. Gdbius. Ventrals only adherent to the abdomen at their bases. Scales more or less present. Simple 

 teeth in the jaws in one or more rows : canines present or absent. 



2. Gobiodon. Body oblong, compressed. Scales absent. Teeth in jaws in several rows ; usually two 

 canines near symphysis of lower jaw. 



3. Sicydium. Ventrals short, adherent to the abdomen. Scales present. Teeth in the jaws moveable, 

 being situated in the gums or lips. 



4. Apocryptes. Ventrals only adherent to the abdomen at their bases. Scales present. Teeth in the 

 jaws in a single row, those in the lower jaw subhorizontal : a pair of posterior canines above the mandibular 

 symphysis. 



5. Apocrypticlithys. No posterior canines above the mandibular symphysis. 



6. PeriopJithalmus. Eyes very prominent. Base of pectorals very muscular. Scales present. Teeth 

 erect in both jaws in one or two rows, some of which are canine-like. 



7. Boleophthaknus. Eyes very prominent. Base of pectorals very muscular. Scales present. Teeth in 

 jaws in a single row, those in the lower jaw horizontal, having a pair of posterior canines. 



B. Eleotrina.f Ventrals not united together. 



8. Bostrichthys. Eyes not prominent. Vomerine teeth. Scales present. 



9. Eleotris. Eyes not prominent. Teeth small and usually without canines : none on palate. Scales 

 present. Anal papilla distinct. 



* Gobiiformes, Bleeker, is thus primarily divided — 



1. Gobwdontini. Teeth in the jaws in several rows, fixed : the outer row in the premaxillaries the loDger. 



2. Gymnogobiini. Teeth in the j aws fixed. 



3. Latrunculini. Teeth in lower jaw in a single row. 



4. TrimnophorichtJiyini. Part of the teeth in the jaws tricuspidate. 



5. Sicydiini. Moveable teeth in the gums or lips. 



6. Gobiini. Simple teeth in the jaws, neither clubbed nor incised at their extremities : from one to many rows 



in the premaxillaries : from two to many rows in the lower jaw. 



7. Periophthalmini. Teeth in the jaws conical, fixed and in one or two rows : conical and sharp in the pharyngeals. 



8. Apoa-ypteini. Teeth in a single row in either jaw, those in the lower jaw sub-horizontal, whilst there are also two 



erect canines above the symphysis of the lower jaw and behind the outer row. 



f Eleotriformes, Bleeker, is thus primarily divided : — 



1. Eleoi/nni :■ — 



a. PMh/pni. Several rows of teeth in jaws : vomerine teeth. 



b. Eleotrii. Palate and tongue edentulous. 



c. Butti. Several rows of teeth in jaws without canines. Palate and tongue edentulous. 



2. Hypseleotrini. Teeth in the jaws in several rows, the external slender and moveable. 



3. Pareleotrini. Teeth in the jaws fixed : none on the palate or tongue. 



