^^,6L>?3 Vol. 79, pp. 57-72 23 May 1966 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON THE WEST INDIAN BLENNIID FISHES OF THE GENUS HYPLEUROCHILUS, WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES By John E. Randall Oceanic Institute, Waimanalo, and Bernice P. Bishop Mnseum, Honolulu, Hawaii The Atlantic blenniid fish genus Hypleurochilus Gill is characterized by having the gill membranes broadly joined to the isthmus ( the gill opening ends at level of lower base of the pectoral), a prominent incurved canine tooth on the side of each jaw posterior to the row of incisiform teeth, typically 14 pectoral rays, and supraorbital cirri. It has been previously known from the western North Atlantic by the type-species, Blennius multifilis Girard (which is generally regarded as a junior synonym of B. geminatus Wood) and H. bermudensis Beebe and Tee-Van. Recent collections in the Gulf and Caribbean region have revealed two additional species allied to bermudensis, sharing with it the deeply indented dorsal fin (last dorsal spine usually less than half the length of the first dorsal ray ) and the count of 1,4 pelvic rays.^ One of these fishes is H. aequipinnis (Giinther) heretofore known only from a single specimen collected in West Africa in 1851. The other represents an undescribed species. Both occur in the West Indies and are treated in the present paper as a prerequisite to a book on the fishes of this region which is in preparation by the writer. Hypleurochilus geminatus is characterized by a slightly indented dorsal fin (last dorsal spine more than two-thirds length of first dorsal ray) and in usually having I, 3 instead of 1,4 pelvic rays. More than one species of blenny is currently ^ The pelvic spine is small and difficult to see without dissection; the third and fourth rays are slender and easily overlooked. 9— Pkoc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 79, 1966 (57) MSnTUTlOH ""' ^
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