304 BULLETIN 188, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



6c. Cross bands 8 or 9. 



7a. Head long, 0.25 standard length or longer; snout not abruptly 

 declined ; cheeks not dilated. 

 8a. A preorbital hook (in male) ; cross bands wider than inter- 

 spaces, 3 predorsal, 2 wholly or partly subdorsal, 4 post- 

 dorsal ; 3 transverse rows of dark spots on dorsal fin ; 

 2 rows of dark spots on anal fin ; paired flns with several 

 rows of dark spots ; top of head dark spotted ; caudal fin 



deeply emarginate myrmekia 



86. No preorbital hook reported. 



9a. Cross bands rather regular, 2 or 3 predorsal, 2 or 3 wholly 

 or partly subdorsal, 3 postdorsal ; a row of dark spots 

 across midlength of dorsal fin ; upper surface of head 



plain brown desmotes 



96. Cross bands very irregular, mostly broken into spots and 

 blotches, only 2 or 3 regular bands under or immediately 

 posterior to dorsal fin ; upper surface of head, including 



snout, with round dark spots spilotus 



76. Head short, less than 0.25 standard length ; snout abruptly 

 declined ; cheeks dilated ; cross bands 9, 3 predorsal, 2 wholly 

 or partly subdorsal, 4 postdorsal ; top of head obscurely 

 mottled ; cheeks plain ; dorsal fin with rays dark brown and 2 



conspicuous black spots at base breviceps 



56. Lateral line incomplete, extending only to opposite anterior part of 

 anal base ; origin of dorsal fin anterior to base of ventrals ; cross 

 bands 7, wider than interspaces, 2 predorsal, 2 wholly or partly 

 subdorsal, 3 postdorsal ; a conspicuous black spot at base of anterior 

 dorsal rays, a brown spot at base of posterior dorsal rays, with a 



bright orange area between ; top of head vermiculated nicholsi 



46. Dark cross bands 7 to 14, usually about 10 ; lateral line complete ; scales 

 deficient ; nasal tentacle short, not reaching eye ; snout rather long 

 (2.5 in head), bluntly pointed, its profile not strongly arched; head 

 dark brown or blackish ; caudal peduncle slightly longer than deep ; 



branched dorsal rays 8 menanensis 



4c. Dark cross bands 10 to 18. 



10a. Nasal tentacle short, not reaching eye. 



11a. Snout short (3.6 in head), very blunt, its profile strongly arched; 

 head black ; 10 to 12 rather obscure cross bands, 4 or 5 predorsal, 

 2 or 3 subdorsal, 3 or 4 postdorsal ; caudal peduncle as deep as 



long; branched dorsal rays 9 atriceps 



116. Snout longer (2.5 to 3 in head), its profile not strongly arched; 



head not black or dark brown ; branched dorsal rays 8. 



12a. Ten or 11 dark brown cross bands about width of interspaces, 4 



predorsal, 2 or 3 subdorsal, 4 or 5 postdorsal ; top of head 



without black spots ; origin of dorsal fin nearer to base of 



caudal fin than to tip of snout ; width of head 1.5 in its length ; 



caudal peduncle as deep as long reidi 



126. Eleven dark brown cross bands wider than interspaces, 4 pre- 

 dorsal, 2 subdorsal, 5 postdorsal, those under and before 

 dorsal fin wider, irregular, and oblique ; top of head with 

 small black spots ; origin of dorsal fin nearer to base of 

 caudal fin than to tip of snout ; width of head 1.25 in its 

 length; caudal peduncle as deep as long sexcauda 



