NO. 4 MYERS AND WADE : NEW GENERA AND SPECIES OF EELS 89 



9b. Head 2 to 2.6 in trunk ; eye 8.4 to 8.75 in head ; 



body with yellowish-gray reticulations under 



brownish spots and markings (Indo-Pacific, 



Galapagos Islands). G. undulatus (Lacepede). 



8b. Dorsal inserted over gill openings; ground color 



light brown, with numerous dark brown spots 



mixed with white (Juan Fernandez Island, 



Chile) G. porphyrea (Guichenot). 



7b. Body banded with narrow bands of yellowish brown, 

 about 20 in number, each one third width of the 



blackish interspaces (Galapagos) 



G. chlevastes (Jordan and Gilbert). 



Gymnothorax octavianus, new species 

 Plate 16 



Holotype. — U.S. National Museum no. 101801. 



Type locality. — Station 435-35, Octavia Bay, Colombia, collected 

 from coral head, Januaiy 28, 1935. 



Paratype. — One specimen, 187 mm.. Station 811-38, north of Bar- 

 rington Island, Galapagos, collected from coral head, January 26, 1938. 



Measurement of holotype in mm. — Length 294, head and trunk 133, 

 tail 161, head 39, snout 8, eye 3.5, depth 6, cleft of mouth 17, interorbital 

 3.75. 



Description. — Body elongate, somewhat subcylindrical, becoming 

 slightly compressed posteriorly. Depth 19.5 to 20.8 in total length. Head 

 and trunk shorter than tail by three fourths length of head, 1.21 to 1.25 

 in tail. Head long and slender, not greatly expanded at occiput, 7.5 to 8.5 

 in total length. Eye 8.8 to 11.4 in head, 1.8 in snout. Snout 4.8 to 4.86 in 

 head. Cleft of mouth 2.3 in head. Interorbital 10.4 in head. Dorsal fin 

 inserted over gill openings, high and well developed, especially posteriorly, 

 confluent with anal around tip of tail. Anal fin well developed but not as 

 high as dorsal. No paired fins present. Several longitudinal folds in mem- 

 brane covering dorsal fin. 



Dorsal outline of head only moderately swollen at occiput and slightly 

 concave over eye. Upper and lower jaws curved toward each other at the 

 tips ; the mouth cannot be completely shut. Lips thin and not concealing 

 teeth on upper and lower jaws when mouth is closed. Cleft of mouth 

 wide; eye at mid-point between symphysis and angle of jaws. Anterior 



