326 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
aa. Body more elongate and less strongly compressed, the depth 4.75 to 5 in the length; mouth 
nearly vertical; ventral disk short, reaching only about two-thirds the distance from its 
origin to the origin of anal eulepis, p. 327 
180. Microgobius holmesi Smith. Holmes goby. 
Microgobius holmesi Smith, North Carolina Geol. and Econ. Surv., Vol. II, 1907, p. 360, fig. 168; Beaufort, N. C. 
Head 3.1 to 3.8; depth 4.7 to 5.4; D. VII or VIII-16 or 17; A. 17; scales about 45. Body 
elongate, quite strongly compressed; head rather large, compressed; snout short, 3.5 to 4.1 in 
head; eye 2.95 to 3.3; interorbital very narrow 11.3 to 14; mouth large, very oblique; maxillary 
reaching under middle of eye, 2 to 2.4 in head; teeth in the jaws simple, those of the upper jaw with 
an outer enlarged series well separated from an irregular inner series of smaller ones; lower jaw with 
an outer series of enlarged teeth, well separated from a narrow band of small, inner teeth; gill 
openings large, the membranes narrowly attached to the isthmus; lateral line indistinct; scales 
cycloid, present posteriorly, wanting on head and body from about middle of base of first dorsal 
forward, largest and most distinct on caudal peduncle; dorsal fins well separated, the first consisting 
of very slender, short spines; second dorsal and anal similar and opposite each other; caudal fin 
long, pointed, notably longer than head; ventral disk long, reaching to or a little beyond origin of 
anal; distance from origin of ventrals to origin of anal somewhat shorter than head; pectoral fins 
rather large, about as long as head, 3.05 to 3.6 in length of body. 
Fig. 196— Microgobius holmesi. Adult, about 2 inches long. a. Ventral disk 
Color of a fresh specimen plain light blue; opercle edged with yellowish green; several bluish 
vertical bars above abdomen; specimens faded to a pale straw color in alcohol, without noticeable 
markings. 
This little goby is represented by 10 specimens, ranging in length from 22 to 47 millimeters 
(J4 to 1 % inches). It is most readily distinguished from its nearest relative, M. eulepis, by its deeper 
and more compressed body and a longer ventral disk, which reaches to or beyond the origin of the 
anal; whereas in M. eulepis it reaches only about two-thirds the distance from its base to the origin 
of the anal. 
Two stomachs were examined for food. One was empty and the other contained fragments of 
a small crustacean. The spawning habits of this fish are largely unknown as yet. The senior author, 
however, took some ripe or nearly ripe fish on July 10, 1914, at Beaufort, N. C. The largest of the 
ripe fish was 2 inches in length, which probably is about the maximum size attained. 
Habitat . — Chesapeake Bay to Beaufort; to date taken only at Lewisetta, Va., and Beaufort, 
N. C. 
Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous records: None. ( b ) Specimens in collection: From 
Lewisetta, Va., taken in a brackish pond on mud and sand bottom on August 6 and 8, 1921. Not 
seen elsewhere. 
