318 BULLETIN 100, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Scales 21 or 22, 4 or 5 in lateral line to caudal base and 1 more on 

 latter; 3 or 4 scales above lateral line, 9 below, 8 or 9 predorsal. 

 Scales with 30 to 40 basal radiating striae, apical 22 to 30; circuli 

 very fine. Few scales on opercle above and a few below and behind 

 eye. 



D. VII or VIII, 12, I to 14, i, seventh spine 4 to 4}^ in head, fifth 

 ray 2^^ to 3; A, II or III, 11, i, third spine 5 to 53^, third ray 2^ 

 to 3; caudal 13/2 to 1^, double concave behind or with ends but 

 little exserted; least depth of caudal peduncle 2}^ to 2%; pectoral 

 IH to 13^; ventral 13^2 to 2. 



Olive above, below white, often with pale bluish tinge. Five deep 

 rosy or purplish bands radiate from eye, uppermost across inter- 

 orbital, 1 from front eye edge toward snout tip, and the others vari- 

 ably across cheek. Five to 7 black blotches or transverse bands 

 across back; fu'st usually narrow, irregular, sometimes extends as 

 black blotch on pectoral origin. Reddish longitudinal band along 

 side of back, upper edge of caudal peduncle and out along upper 

 caudal edge; second band along median axis of trunk and tail to 

 caudal base; lower edge of caudal peduncle and caudal fin reddish. 

 Dorsals yellow, with deep gray median longitudinal band, narrowing 

 and fading out on last dorsal rays. Anal whitish, often with small 

 blackish blotch anteriorly. Caudal broadly dark gray posteriorly. 

 Pectoral and ventral yellowish white, former with black streaks across 

 base. 



Mauritius, East Africa, East Indies, Philippines, China, Riukiu, 

 Queensland, Melanesia, Polynesia. Thalassoma melanochir Fowler 

 is simply a color variant, as we find examples with the pectorals 

 terminally dark. Sparus Tiardwicke Bennett is the earliest name we 

 find available for the species. 



5680. Agojo Point, Catanduanes Island. June 10, 1909. Length, 136 mm. 



22107. Alimango Bay, Burias Island. March 5, 1909. Length, 152 mm. 



15262. Atulayan Island. June 18, 1909. Length, 153 mm. 



23730. Biri Channel. June 1-2, 1909. Length, 85 mm. 



17585. Biri Channel. June 2, 1909. Length, 170 mm. 



17058. Bisucay Island, near Cuyo. April 9, 1909. Length, 173 mm. 



10679 and 10680. Bubuan Island. February 14, 1908. Length 131 to 160 mm. 



17426 and 19645. Bulan Island, Samales Group. September 13, 1909. Length, 

 127 to 178 mm. 



11143, 16042, 16043, 17144. Cabugan Island, Hinunangan Bay, Leyte. July 30, 

 1909. Length, 118 to 170 mm. [1781.] Bars on head wine purple; lateral 

 stripe of posterior body near geranium. Tip of soft dorsal with olive shades. 

 Anal very pale hyaline olive, round black blotch in front. Caudal dusky cen- 

 trally, margins of lobes olive green, stripes geranium purple. 



19036. Cagayan, Sulu Island. June 8, 1909. Length 178 mm. [1069.] Ground 

 color of head dusky emerald; radiating about eye five broad stripes somewhat 

 tawny over eye, becoming geranium on cheek; ground color of back yellowish 

 green, about dusky apple; crossing back five purplish black obliquely and 

 backwardly directed saddles; first two not meeting on top; round spot of 



