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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM 



males with Uiese inodifications to be mature, the smallest mature male 

 examined was 44.7 mm vSL. Mature and immature males may occur 

 in the same collection and in these collections immature males may be 

 as much as 27 mm longer than mature males. 



The largest specimen examined was a male 95.5 mm SL; the largest 

 female was 72.3 mm SL. Only 4 (1.5 percent) of 259 females (30-72 

 mm SL) measured were over 69 mm SL, whereas 38 (9.9 percent) of 

 384 males (30 mm SL and larger) were over 69 mm. In general, 

 males outnumbered females in all size classes over 49 mm SL, but the 

 sexes were about equal in number in the 30-49 mm size classes; thus, 

 the proportionate number of females at these smaller sizes was greater 

 than the proportionate number of males. The smallest specimen 

 examined, 15.8 mm SL, was not an ophioblennius stage and no such 

 stages were seen. Vomerine teeth and one posterior canine were 

 visible. 



Color pattern of preserved material. — There is considerable 

 variation in color pattern even among specimens within a single 

 collection. The following description is based on specimens from 

 Jarvis Island. Some variations are discussed following this descrip- 

 tion. 



In specimens with the most developed pattern the sides of the body 

 are conspicuously marked with numerous dark spots, none of which 



TABLE 30. --Frequency distribution of number of pseud obranchial filaments 

 of specimens of Entomacrodus striatus arranged by SL classes (in mm) 



