Genus: Chriolepis, Gobies, Goby

CHRIOLEPIS

GOBIES

Body compressed; head broad, somewhat flattened; head without pores; papillae on most parts of head and nape; front nostril larger than rear nostril; tongue tip not notched; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fin VII + I, 8-11; length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal fin I, 8-10; pelvic fins I,5,  completely separate, without front frenum, without membrane joining inner rays, rays 1-4 branched, without flattened or fleshy tips, ray 5 unbranched in some species, branched or variable in others, fin extends behind anus but not to anal fin origin; tail fin rounded; scales on rear 1/2-2/3 of body only; large rough scales on base of tail fin; scales under 1st dorsal either absent or small & smooth; no lateral line.

A neotropical genus with 9 species, 1 in the W Atlantic, the others in the E Pacific.