46 



Fishery Bulletin 90(1), 1992 



Geographic variation The wide range of G. biline- 

 atus plus the gaps in distribution due to its preference 

 for coral reef habitats lead to the possibility that some 

 populations differ morphologically from others. How- 

 ever, comparison of frequency distributions by geo- 

 graphic areas of meristic characters summarized in 

 Tables 2-6 showed general uniformity in the range and 

 modes of these characters. The Red Sea population is 

 the most isolated from the rest, but it showed no 

 meristic differentiation. Comparisons of ranges and 

 means of morphometric data showed few differences 

 between the Red Sea and Pacific populations (Table 7). 



Dissections 11 (382-521 mm FL). USNM 270386 

 (410), Australia, diss. 1-28-69. USNM 270390 (453), Scott 

 Reef, J. McCosker 73-8, diss. 4-1-76. USNM 270387 (424), 



Marshall Is.. J. E. Randall, diss. 4-29-76. USNM 270384 

 (382), Kavieng, New Guinea, diss. 10-12-76. USNM 270385 

 (389), Cairns, Qld., G. McPherson, diss. 3-30-81. USNM 

 270389 (521). Port Douglas, Qld.. diss. 3-31-81. USNM 

 270388 (416). Cairns, Qld., G. McPherson, diss. 1-5-83. 

 USNM 270383 (475). Scott Reef, J. McCosker 72-18. diss. 

 1-10-83. USNM 270382 (399). Cairns. Qld.. G. McPherson. 

 diss. 1-1 1-83. USNM 270391 (400). Port Douglas. Qld.. diss. 

 1-13-83. USNM 316130 (460), Scott Reef, J. McCosker 73-8, 

 diss. 7-18-89. 



Material examined 80 specimens (23.5-575 mm FL) 



from 58 collections. 



Red Sea 16 (264-440) from 10 collections. SMF 2755 

 (1, 287); Massua; E. Riippell; holotype of Thynmis bilirwatus; 

 stuffed. NMW uncat. (5. 362-432); Jambo; 1895-96; I.R.M. 

 Exped. 62c. NMW uncat. (1, 424); Hassani; 1895-96; I.R.M. 



