32 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 122 



4a. Ventral margin of upper lip with middle one-third to three-fifths crenulate 

 (sometimes weakly and very irregularly) and lateral portions entire . 5 



4b. Ventral margin of upper lip completely crenulate (sometimes weakly and 

 irregularly), or only middle one-third to one-half of ventral margin with- 

 out crenulae (or, as a rarity, left or right side of ventral margin without 

 crenulae) 7 



5a. Supraorbital cirri usually 5 or more (less than 1 percent of specimens with 

 less than 5) ; gill-rakers 19-30 (rarely less than 20) ; nasal cirri subequal in 

 size and shape; without a distinct dark spot distally on membrane be- 

 tween 1st and 2nd dorsal spines; caudal fin frequently with distinct 

 stripes, bars, or spots; posteriormost proximal anal pterygiophore sup- 

 porting 2 rays in over 80 percent of specimens; posterior canines of lower 

 jaw rarely absent 17 



5b. Supraorbital cirri 1-3 (3 in only 1 of HI specimens); gill-rakers 14-20 (91 

 percent of specimens with less than 19); nasal cirri irregular in size and 

 shape, usually 1 cirrus on each anterior nostril a broad flap from which 

 arise smaller cirri (pis. 4c, 5d) ; males (and frequently females) with a dis- 

 tinct dark spot distally on membrane between 1st and 2nd dorsal spines; 

 caudal dusky without distinct stripes, bars, or spots; posteriormost prox- 

 imal anal pterygiophore supporting a single ray in over 75 percent of 

 specimens; 1 or both posterior canines in lower jaw frequently absent . 6 



6a. Color pattern (when specimen immersed in liquid) on side of body consisting 

 of dark bands either broken up by numerous pale or dark vermiculations 

 or reticulations, or with inclusions of fine pale spots or dashes (pi. 4). 



stellifer stellifer (Pacific) 



6b. Color pattern on side of body consisting of more or less uniformly, diffusely 

 dark dusky bands or pairs of blotches (usually darker along midsides) 

 neither broken by vermiculations or reticulations, nor with fine pale spots 

 or dashes (pi. 5) stellifer lighti (South China Sea) 



7a. Ventral margin of upper lip with middle one-third to one-half entire, lateral 

 portions crenulate (species of Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans) . . 8 



7b. Ventral margin of upper lip completely, sometimes very weakly and irreg- 

 ularly, crenulate (or, as a rarity, one side crenulate and the other entire) 

 (species of Indian and Pacific Oceans) 16 



8a. Upper lip with many fine dark spots (occasionally obscured by a dusky 

 overlay); spots sometimes arranged in 7-10 more or less vertical rows; 

 infrequently 1 or 2 rows with spots fused, forming stripes; sometimes 

 ventral 2 spots of each row fused; a dark spot, or stripe, directed dorso- 

 posteriorly from posterodorsal margin of eye, sometimes fused across top 

 of head with stripe from other side; a disjunct continuation of this mark- 

 ing occasionally extends anteroventrally from below eye; an irregular 

 J- or U-shaped dark marking posterior to, and separated from, eye by a 

 pale interspace; shorter arm of marking anterior to longer arm, and open 

 end of marking directed dorsoposteriorly ; arms of marking occasionally 

 outlined as dark spots and dashes .... cadenati (eastern Atlantic) 



8b. Upper lip without dark spots; its markings variable, present as solid stripes 

 or bands of variable intensity (sometimes restricted to ventral half of 

 lip), occasionally obscured by a dusky overlay, or upper lip often pale 

 with a few nebulous marks or none ; a dark spot, or stripe, directed dorso- 

 posteriorly from posterodorsal region immediately behind eye present 

 only in Brazillian specimens; J- or U-shaped dark mark behind eye 



