136 BULLETIN 100, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Sphoerodon heterodon Elera, Cat. Fauna Filip., vol. 1, p. 483, 1895 (Cebu). 

 Sphaerodon euanus Gunther, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., sor. 5, vol. 4, p. 137, 1879 



(type locality : Eua, Friendly Islands). — Pohl, Cat. Mus. GodeflFroy, No. 9, 



p. 29, 1884 (Mortlock Island). 



Depth 2% to 2%; head 2% to 2%, width 2 to 2}U. Snout 2}io to 3 

 in head; eye 2% to 3%, greater than snout in young to 1% with age, 

 greater than interorbital in young to 1}^ with age; maxillary reaches 

 Ko to % in eye, expansion 1% to 3 K in eye, length 2 to 2% in head; 6 

 upper and 4 lower front canines, followed by single row of 7 molars 

 Above and below on each side of jaw, also small patch of fine teeth 

 in front of each jaw; interorbital 2% to 3K, broad, slightly depressed 

 or concave; preopercle edge with very minute, feeble or obsolete 

 denticles. Gill rakers 6 + 5, short tubercles, 2% in gill filaments, 

 which 3K in eye. 



Scales 44 or 45 in lateral line to caudal base and 1 or 2 more on 

 latter; 6 scales above, 14 below, 10 or 11 predorsal forward opposite 

 hind eye edge; 5 rows on cheek to preopercle ridge and flange naked. 

 Suprascapular edge membranous, roughened. Scales with 10 to 14 

 basal radiating striae, also 3 or 4 incomplete auxiharies; 44 to 115 

 apical denticles, with 1 to 3 transverse series of basal elements; 

 circuli fine. 



D. X, 10, I, fourth spine 2 to 2% in head, fifth ray 1% to 1%; A. Ill, 

 9, I, third spine 2 to 3, first ray 1% to 2Ko; caudal 1 to 1%, deeply 

 forked, lobes slender and pointed; least depth of caudal peduncle 2% 

 to 2%; pectoral Ijio to 1}^; ventral lYsto 1%. 



Back brown, each scale on back with pale or gray white spot. 

 Lower sides and under surface whitish, though each scale also with 

 lighter or pearly spot. On back three narrow whitish transverse 

 bands, about two scales in width; first from front of spinous dorsal, 

 second from postero-median dorsal spines and third from last dorsal 

 rays. Iris yellov/ish white, usually with black or dark blotch above. 

 Fins all pale brownish, both dorsals with dusky brown over mem- 

 branes at least basally. Also some dusky brown on several inner 

 caudal membranes medially, giving streaked appearance to fin. 

 Pectoral with broad dusky or neutral dusky axillary blotch; also as 

 dark bar across fin base, most dark at origin of fin. Ventrals slightly 

 dusky terminally. Also some dusky streaks on median membranes 

 of anal basally. 



Bed Sea, Arabia, Madagascar, India, Ceylon, East Indies, PhiUp- 

 pines, Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, Hawaii. An 

 abundant species in many parts of its range, reaching upwards of 

 600 mm in length. It is largely similar throughout its growth cycle. 

 The adults are conspicuous among market fishes by their heavy or 

 robust obtuse heads with great eyes and deep bodies. In young or 

 small examples the transverse white bands are very conspicuous. 

 Some examples show dark median or submarginal band along each 



