30 BULLETIN 100, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Heliastes Lowe, Trans. Zool. Soc. London, vol. 2, 1841, p. 177. Tyi)e 



Heliases msolatus Cxtvjer. 

 Furcaria Poey, Mem. Hist. Nat. Cuba, vol. 2, 1861, p. 194. Type Furcaria 



puncta Poet, designated by Jordan, Genera of Fishes, vol. 2, 1919, p. 



299. 

 Ayresia Coopee, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 1863, p. 73. Type Ayresia puncti- 



pinnis Cooper, ortbotypic. 

 Oni/chOffnathus Troschel, Arch. Naturg., 1866, p. 231. Type Onychoff- 

 ; tmUius cautus Troschel, monotypic. 



Actinochromis Bleeker, Nat. Verb. Holl. Maatsch. Harlem, (No. 6), ser. 3, 



vol. 2, 1877, p. (4) 166. Type Chromis lividus Steindachnee, monotypic. 

 Eoplochromis Fowler, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1918, p. 66. Type 



Heliases caeruleus Cuviek, orthotypic. 



Oblong or oval. Premaxillaries protractile. Teeth small, conic, 

 in narrow band or irregular series in jaws, often outer row obtuse 

 or little enlarged. Preopercle entire or rough. Gills 3I/2. Branch- 

 iostegals 5. Pyloric appendages 2. Scales moderate, 27 to 30 in 

 median lateral series. Suborbitals, maxillary and lower jaw scaled. 

 Dorsal spines 12 to 14, rays 9 to 14, spinous part twice or thrice 

 basal length of soft fin. Anal spines 2, rays 10 to 13. Caudal lobate, 

 lobes often acute and end in filament. 



Species numerous in troj^ical seas, most in the Indo-Pacific. In 

 form very compact little fishee, often with most pleasing brilliant 

 colors. 



ANALYSIS OF THE SPECIES 



a\ Teeth in jaws not directed or flaring outward. 



6\ Anal spines small, second but little over half length of head. 

 c\ Body scales without small basal scales. 



d*. Chromis, upper and lower edges of caudal fin dusky to blackish, in 

 contrast with rest of fin. 

 e\ Ventrals gray or whitish. 



f. Anterior profile of head broadly rounded, form very compact. 



ternatensis. 

 /"'■'. Anterior profile of head more angular. 

 g^. Head without dark line behind preopercle vertically; body 

 scales without dark edges. 

 7i\ Anal without black anterior edge; size small. 



aiiil}oinensis. 

 /r. Lower front anal edge broadly black; size moderate; 



scales uniform scotochilopterus. 



7i'. Lower front anal edge broadly black; size moderate; 



scale edges narrowly dark reticulatus. 



g". Head with dark or blackish line along and behind pre- 

 opercle edge vertically; body scales with scattered dark 



edges weberi. 



e\ Ventrals black ; size small atripes. 



d^ Caudal fin uniform, without black edge above or below. 

 i\ Caudal much paler than body, contrasted. 



y\ Anteriorly dark, or posterior half of body or only 

 caudal yellowish-white; pectoral with large dark 

 basal blotch dimidiatus. 



