Vol. XXI, pp. 39-42 February 29, 1908 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



NOTES ON RHINOMURAENA. 

 BY THOMAS BARBOUR. 



While shore collecting at Ambon in the Moluccas during 

 February, 1907, I caught an interesting eel, which is closely 

 related to one described by Mr. S. Garman as Rhinomuraena 

 quaes it a. 



In 1877 the Rev. B. G. Snow sent to the Museum of Com- 

 parative Zoology a collection of littoral fishes from Ebon in the 

 Marshall Islands. This collection contained a peculiar eel on 

 which Garman founded the Genus Rhinomuraena. No addi- 

 tional specimens of this genus have ever reached this museum. 

 The eel which Jordan and Seale obtained in Samoa and described 

 as Rhinamuraena (sic) eritima is, I believe, generically distinct 

 both from R. quaesita Garman (Bull Essex Inst., 1888 [1889] 

 pp. 114-116, fig.) and from the specimen taken at Ambon, 

 which represents a new species. The three forms may be 

 characterized as follows: 



Rhinomuraena Garman 1. c, p. 114. 



Generic characters. — Nasal tubes present; rostral appendages situated 

 at apices of both upper and lower jaws; uniserial teeth of about equal 

 size ; tail extremely elongate. 



R. quaesita Garman. 



This description is based on the type specimen which is still well pre- 

 served. Head 20.5 in total length, 6.7 in body anterior to vent; depth 

 3.6 in head; the length of the body is contained 2.2 times in the tail; 

 length of snout from the posterial nostril 6.5 in head; eye 2.3 in snout; 

 the angle (if the jaws takes up one-third of the length of the head, jaws 

 straight and may be completely closed; the dorsal fin begins a short dis- 

 tance behind the angle of the jaws; it is at first low, then increases in 

 depth, until, at a distance midway between vent and tip of tail, its depth 

 equals that of the body ; the anal fin begins immediately posterior to the 



7— Proo. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. XXI, 1908. (39) 



