FISHES OF THE PHHiH^PINE AND ADJACENT SEAS 315 



Genus THALASSOMA Swainson 



Thalassoma Swainson, Nat. Hist. An., vol. 2, 1839, pp. (172) 224. Type 



Scarus piirpureus Fohskal, inonotypic. 

 Chlorichthys Swainson, Nat. Hist. An., vol. 2, 1839, pp. (173) 232. Type 



Labrus bifasciatus Block, designated by Swain, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 



Phila., 1882, p. 275. 

 Bermudichthys Nichols, Proc. Biol. Soc, Wash., vol. 33, July 24, 1920, 



p. 62. Type Bermudichthys subfurcatus Nichols, orthotypic. 



Body elongate or oblong, compressed. Snout short, obtuse. 

 Front canines prominent. No hind canines. Scales large, 27 to 30 

 in lateral line, which continuous. Head scaleless. Slight scaly 

 sheaths along dorsal and anal bases. Dorsal spines 8, slender, rays 

 12 or 13. Anal spines 3, first very small, rays 11. 



Giro um tropical. Brilliant green or blue fishes, often with yellow, 

 red or black and greatly contrasted. Size moderate or small. Abun- 

 dant in coral reefs. 



ANALYSIS OF THE SPECIES 



a^ THALASSOMA. Operclc scaled above. 

 ¥. Opercular scales in 3 or 4 series. 



c^ Flanks with large green quadrangular blotches, formed by reddish 



ladder-like longitudinal design quinquevittatus. 



c^. Back and flanks with black transverse bands. 



dK Rosy bands from eye over cheek; dorsals without black spot; size 



moderate hardwicke. 



d^. Rosy band on side of snout and 2 postocular, none on cheek; small 

 black spot at front of spinous dorsal, another at front of soft dorsal 



and third at caudal base above; size small sohwanefeldi. 



b^. Opercular scales in a single series. 



e'. Back and head above without numerous blackish spots; no black 

 blotch at front of spinous dorsal. 

 /I. Pectoral with deep red-purple longitudinal band in upper half of 

 fin to base of supero-median rays; no black blotches on back. 



lunare. 



p. Pectoral uniform, pale; 3 black blotches on back jansenii. 



e^. Back and head above with numerous blackish spots; black blotch 



at front of spinous dorsal umbrostigma. 



a^. Chlorichthys. Head naked or scaleless. 



g^. Head dusky blue or purple, more or less contrasted with 

 rest of body. 

 h^. Head variegated with rosy or blue longitudinal bauds; 

 tip and hind pectoral edge black. 

 iK Head with 4 arched deep red longitudinal bands. 



lutescens. 



i*. Head with 2 blue longitudinal narrow Unes — melanochir. 



h'^. Head uniform dusky purple; broad whitish transverse 



band on trunk duperrey. 



g'^. Head not dark or in contrast with rest of body; each scale 

 with dark vertical streak. 

 j^. Single white line from lower eye edge level with pectoral 

 origin; small black spot at pectoral origin. 



amblycephalus. 

 j^. Body uniform brown ballieui. 



