The length of the specimen is nearly five inches. The anal is marked and
coloured exactly as described to be the case in the _B. palmicornis_.
This species was obtained by Mr. Darwin at the Cape Verde Islands.
1. BLENNECHIS FASCIATUS. _Jen._
PLATE XVII. Fig. 1.
_B. flavescens, fusco-variatus; maculis tribus infra pinnam dorsalem,
et unâ in pinnæ ipsius anticam partem, nigris, subocellatis:
dentibus maxillaribus supra circiter viginti quatuor, subtus
triginta; caninis nullis: tentaculis palpebralibus duobus, parvis,
subpalmatis: pinnâ anali haud ultrà dorsalem extensâ._
D. 13/16; A. 20; C. 13, &c.; P. 14; V. 2.
LONG. unc. 2. lin. 4.
FORM.—Body much compressed behind: the depth one-fifth of the entire
length: head rather less than one-fourth of the same. Snout blunt
and truncated; the profile nearly vertical; the eye placed just
within the angle formed by this last with the line of the crown.
Diameter of the eye one-fourth the length of the head; distance
between the eyes half a diameter; the interocular space very
slightly concave, with a double row of mucous pores rather widely
separate, but without any lines or sculpture. Similar mucous pores
are thinly scattered over the occiput and the front of the snout, as
well as beneath each eye. Above each eye is a short slightly
palmated filament not exceeding in length the diameter of the eye:
also an extremely minute one at each nostril. Mouth reaching to
beneath the eyes. Teeth not extending the whole length of the jaws;
fine and close-set, with the points of those at the sides, more
especially in the lower jaw, reclining backwards; the number above
twenty-four, below thirty: no canines. Gill membrane fastened at
bottom, the slit at the sides not descending below the pectorals.
The dorsal commences at the nape, and extends nearly to the caudal,
with which, however, it is not connected: it is slightly depressed
or notched above the twelfth and thirteenth rays, beyond which it
is again elevated to the height of the anterior portion. The anal
does not approach quite so near the caudal as the dorsal, but the
difference is trifling: the last ray in both fins is united by the
membrane to the fleshy part of the tail. Caudal rounded, with the
greater part of the principal rays slightly divided at the tips.
Pectorals broad, and not quite equal to the head in length.
Ventrals short, not more than half the length of the head, or a
little less than one-eighth of the entire length: they appear to
consist of only two rays, but on dissection there will be found
three soft rays with a short spine closely adhering to the first
of them; the third soft ray is slender, and also adheres to the
second.
The anterior portion of the lateral line takes a sweep over the
pectoral, and is very distinctly marked by a close series of short
elevated mucous tubes between two rows of pores; but the rest of
the line is only faintly traced out by nine or ten slender
depressed tubes at long intervals, without any accompanying pores.
COLOUR.—(_In spirits._) Yellowish ground; the upper half of the sides
very much mottled, and clouded with fuscous; three spots darker than
the rest, arranged longitudinally beneath the posterior half of the
dorsal, and having a subocellated appearance, the last the largest,
and also the most distinct of the three: from the median line there
are eight or nine descending fasciæ, alternating with the same
number of oblong lanceolate spots: the throat is marked with three
angulated transverse dark fasciæ: cheeks and gill-covers with small
spots. A large black spot on the first three rays of the dorsal fin,
which is covered all over with smaller spots, as are also the
pectorals and caudal: anal with a dusky edging. In the living state
there were probably some bright colours, as in the _B. biocellatus_
of Cuvier and Valenciennes.
[Illustration:
_Fish. Pl. 17._
_Waterhouse Hawkins del^t._
]
_1. Blennechis fasciatus._ _Nat. Size._
_1a._ „ „ _Teeth magnified._
_2. Blennechis ornatus._ _Nat. Size._
_3. Salarias vomerinus._ _Nat. Size._
_A second specimen_ has the fin-ray formula as follows:—