1572 



Bulletin /7, United States National Mnsenm. 



tropical seas, living among rocks or kelp. Many of them are brilliantly 

 colored, and some are valued as food-fish. Most of them feed upon mol- 

 lusks, the dentition being adapted for crushing shells. 



The Lahrina' are the most generalized forms, well distinguished from the 

 others by their greater number of vertebra>, a character associated with 

 the greater number of dorsal spines and with their northern habitat. 

 These are the only Labroids properly belonging to the North Temperate 

 Zone, and all but 2 of the species are European. 



The Malapterinfe seem to be allied to the Lahrhuv, although they may 

 belong to some other family. The number of vertebra- has not been 

 counted in a single known species. They belong to the South Temperate 

 Zone, and differ from the Lahrina' in having most of the dorsal spines 

 replaced by soft rays. 



The Harpina- are allied to the Labrmw, but are chiefly tropical fishes 

 with a reduced number of vertebr;e and spines. Close to the Harpina: is 

 the small 8ul)family Clepticina', distinguished by the little development 

 of the jaws .and pharyngeals and by the corresponding feeble dentition. 



The Jiilidina' are the most abundant of the tropical Labroids, brilliant 

 little fishes, abounding about banks and reefs, and having the vertebrae 

 reduced to the normal number 10+ 14=^24, and the dorsal spines to about 

 9. The Xyrichthiiina are an oftshoot of the Julidina, with the head more 

 or less modified and the lateral line incomplete. 



The Scarida are here placed in a distinct family. They have the normal 

 number of vertebrje and of spines. Their pharyngeal bones and teeth are, 

 however, modified in a very singular way, and they must be regarded as 

 forming the most specialized type of Pharyngognathi, the suborder to 

 which the Labroids l»elong. 



The general rule that marine fishes found in temperate regions have an 

 increased number of vertebra^ is well shown in this group. The follow- 

 ing table shows the numbers of vertebra^ as given by Drs. Gunther and 

 Jordan in the sjiecies examined by them : 



Labrus viridis, 20 -f 21 = 41. 

 Labrns bimaculatus, 18 -f 21 ^39. 

 Labrus livens, 18 + 20 = 38. 

 Labrus berggylta, 19 + 19 = 38. 

 Tautogolabrus adspersus, 17 + 19=- 



36. 

 Acantholabrus palloni, 18 + 18 = 36. 

 Odax balteatus (Antarctic), 19 + 17 



= 66. 

 Tautoga onitis, 16 + 18 = 34. 

 Ctenolabrus suillus, 15 + 18 = 33. 

 Crenilabrus melops, 15 + 18 = 33. 

 Crenilabrus tinea, 15 + 18 = 33. 

 Crenilabrus ocellaris, 14 + 18 = 32. 

 Crenilabrus cinereus, 14 + 17 = 31. 



Halichoeres nigrescens, 10 + 15^25. 

 Hemitautoga hortulanus, 10 + 15 = 



25. 

 Thalassoma pavo, 11 + 14 = 25. 

 Thalassoma lunare, 11 + 14 = 25. 

 Thalassoma dorsale, 11 + 14 =:25. 

 Julis julis, 11 + 14 = 25. 

 Julis atlantiea, 11 + 14 = 25. 

 Coris aygula, 11 + 14 = 25. 

 Guntheria trimaculata, 10 + 15 = 25. 

 Pseudolabrns psittaculus, 9 + 16^ 



25. 

 Pseudolabrus laticlavius, 9 + 16^ 



25. 

 Goniphosus tricolor, 9 + 15 = 24. 



