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BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Family LXX1. BLENNIID7E. The Blennies. 
Body oblong or elongate, naked or covered with moderate or small scales which are ctenoid or 
cycloid; lateral line variously developed, often wanting, often duplicated; mouth large or small, teeth 
various; gill-membranes free from isthmus or more or less attached to it; pseudobranchiae present; 
ventrals jugular or subthoracic, of 1 spine and 1 to 3 soft rays, often wanting; dorsal fin of spines 
anteriorly, with or without soft rays; anal fin long, similar to the soft dorsal; caudal well developed. 
Vertebrae in moderate or large number, 30 to 80. 
Carnivorous fishes of moderate or small size, mostly living near shore in tropical and temperate 
or arctic seas; most of them are carnivorous, the Clinin: v, so far as known, ovoviviparous, the others 
mostly oviparous. Genera about 80; species about 400; chiefly of rock pools and algae; some species 
in the lakes of Italy. Of the 57 genera of this family recognized as American about 17 are found on 
our South Atlantic coast, and species of each may at any time be discovered in Porto Rican waters. 
At present, however, only 7 of these 17 genera are known to have Porto Rican species. 
I. Tropical blennies, with vertebrae mostly in moderate number, usually fewer than 45; lateral line usually arched 
high above pectoral, if present-; dorsal fin usually with at least one soft ray, none in some species of Auchenop- 
terus and Auchenistius; anal spines little developed; ventral well developed, usually i, 3. 
a. Body scaly. 
Cltninje: 
b. Lateral line present, arched anteriorly over pectoral, becoming posteriorly median in position, or else obsolete; 
species ovoviviparous. 
c. Scales ctenoid, very rough, 33 to 40 in lateral line; dorsal divided into 3 fins. An ocular cirrus present. 
Gillias, 147 
cc. Scales cycloid; dorsal fin not divided into 3 fins. 
d. Dorsal with 6 to 20 soft rays. 
e. Shoulder-girdle without upturned hook on its inner edge above. Maxillary normal, not greatly expanded. 
Anterior part of lateral line normally formed; usually a comb of filaments at nape. Palatines without teeth; 
scales moderate or small, 38 to 110 in lateral line. 
/. Teeth in jaws in 1 row only; teeth usually on vomer, none on palatines; usually a comb of filaments at nape. 
Malacoctenus, 148 
ff. Teeth in jaws in more than 1 row, a band of villiform teeth behind others; teeth on vomer, none on palatines. 
Body oblong, depth 3.5 to 4.5 in length; a filament above eye Labrisomus, 14? 
dd. Dorsal with 1 short soft ray only; scales large; teeth in jaws in more than 1 series; teeth on vomer, none on palatines. 
g. Dorsal fin more or less deeply notched behind the third spine. First 3 dorsal spines stiff, wide set, not remote from 
rest of fin behind dorsal notch; anal spines short; body more elongate, snout less acute.. Auchenopterus, 150 
gg. Dorsal fin continuous, not notched Paraclinus 
bb. Lateral line absent Auchenistius, 151 
aa. Body scaleless; species oviparous, so far as known. 
h. Teeth comb-shaped, in a single row in each jaw, behind which are sometimes long canines; vomer and palatines 
usually toothless; lateral line usually single, with a strong arch anteriorly; dorsal fin long, continuous, or 
divided into 2 fins, anterior portion composed of spines, which are stiff or flexible; anal fin long, usually with 
1 or 2 small spines; ventrals well developed, jugular, of 2 or 3 rays. 
i. Teeth all fixed, attached to bone of jaw and not movable. Caudal fin rounded; teeth slender; gill-membranes not 
reduced to a small slit. 
j. Gill-membranes free from isthmus, or at least forming, a distinct fold across it. 
k. Jaws one or both with a posterior fang-like canine, much longer than anterior teeth Blennius 
kk. Jaws without canines, teeth all equal Scartella 
jj. Gill-membranes broadly united to isthmus, gill-openings restricted to sides. 
l. Jaws one or both with posterior fang-like canines Hypleurochilus 
II. Jaws without posterior canines; teeth equal; three articulated ventral rays. 
m. Mouth small’, maxillary extending scarcely beyond front of eye; head decurved in profile Hypsoblennius. 
mm. Mouth large, maxillary extending beyond vertical from middle of eye; head rather pointed in profile.. Chasmodes 
ii. Teeth of front of jaws all movable, implanted on skin of lips. 
n. Vomer toothless. Jaws one or both with posterior fang-like canines. 
o. Dorsal fin continuous Rupiscaiites 
oo. Dorsal fin divided - Entomacrodus 
nn. Vomer with a few teeth; posterior canines small Salariichthys 
lift. Teeth unequal, not comb-like; body oblong or elongate, more or less eel-shaped, naked, or rarely with rudimentary 
scales; supraocular flap sometimes present. Gill-membranes united, free from isthmus; dorsal fin very long, 
sometimes divided into 2 fins, formed of flexible spines, which often pass gradually into soft rays; anal fin long; 
ventral fins thoracic or subjugular, usually not much, if any, before pectorals, composed of 2 soft rays each, 
spine rudimentary; caudal well developed, dorsal and anal usually more or less joined to it at base. 
Ophioblenniin/e: 
p. Jaws with few teeth; a cirrus above eye and one above nostril; body scaleless and not eel-shaped; dorsal and anal 
free from caudal; dorsal fin notched. 
g. Jaws each with 4 strong, hooked canines in front and a hooked posterior canine below; caudal fin forked. 
Ophioblennius 
