66 BULLETIN 100, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Species numerous, brilliant, often very variable and abundant in 

 tropical seas. Most are of small size and found frequenting^ tide 

 pools and coral reefs. 



ANALYSIS OV THE SrECIES 



a^. Dorsal spines 13 (I'urely 14). 

 &\ Teeth biserial. 



g\ Pomacentkus. Snout scaled. 

 d^. Dorsal spines 13. 



e\ Outer row of teeth truncate terminally, close-set and form 

 compact cutting edge. 

 f. No dark and light contrasted streaks or blotches on opercle or 

 longitudinally on caudal peduncle. 

 (j\ Cheek scales in 2 rows above preopercle ridge. 

 7i\ Median lateral scales each with light blue vertical line. 



pavo. 

 7tl Median lateral scales each with small blue spot— caeruleus. 

 g'. Cheek scales in 3 rows above preopercle ridge. 



i\ Preopercle limb scaled posteriorly ; caudal without upper 



and lower dusky border violescens. 



i^. Preopercle limb not scaled posteriorly ; caudal with upper 



and lower borders dusky taeniurus. 



f. Dark and light contrasted blotches on opercle and as longitu- 

 dinal bands on caudal peduncle smithi. 



e^ Outer row of teeth conic terminally, cutting-edge less compact. 



/. Pectoral without dark axillaiy blotch, within which 

 small white spot. 

 fc\ Preorbital scaly; preorbital and infraorbital serrae 



large littoralis. 



fc^ Preorbital scaleless. 

 l\ Cheek with 2 rows of scales above preopercle ridge ; 

 pectoral base with large black blotch ; light brown 



to blackish melanopterus. 



f. Cheek with 3 rows of scales above preopercle 

 ridge; pectoral origin never with large black 

 blotch, when present always less than pupil; 

 anal often with 2 whitish, parallel, submarginal 

 lines anteriorly yellowish to dusky, 

 m'. No sky-blue line over eye : no black ocellus on 

 last dorsal rays or caudal peduncle above; 



yellowish amboinensis. 



/H^ Several sky-blue lines from snout over eye some- 

 times present; black ocellus on last dorsal 

 rays or on caudal peduncle above. 



tripunctatus. 

 f. Pectoral with dark axillary blotch, within which small 



white spot ; brown grammorhynchus. 



d\ Dorsal spines 13 or 14 ; black siiot at pectoral origin. 



n\ Vertical fins uniformly brown or dusky. 



o\ Suborbitals scaled lepidogenys. 



o'. Suborbitals naked reidi. 



,/'. Anal pale, with black blotch on last 5 rays ter- 

 minally stigma. 



