262 BULLETIN 100, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



East Indies, Samoa. We follow Giinther in placing Platyglossus 

 Jlos-corallis Jordan and Seale as a synonym of the present species. 



296,297. Busin Harbor, Burias Island. March 8, 1909. Length, 110 to 117 mm. 

 8371. Busin Harbor. April 22, 1908. Length, 116 mm. 

 21626. Caracaran, Batan Island. June 8, 1909. Length, 118 mm. 

 9912. Inamucan Bay, Mindanao. August 8, 1909. Length, 107 mm. 

 16160. Mantacao Island, west coast of Bohol. April 8, 1908. Length, 109 mm. 

 10539. Polloc, Mindanao. May 22, 1908. Length, 100 mm. 

 14470. Port Palapag. June 2, 1909. Length, 99 mm. 

 11898. San Miguel Harbor. April 21, 1908. Length, 122 mm. 

 12682. San Miguel Island. June 4, 1909. Length 123 mm. 

 20971. Santa Cruz Island, Marinduque. April 24, 1908. Length, 109 mm. 

 51744. U.S.N.M. Apia, Samoa. Bureau of Fisheries. Length, 72 mm. Tj^pe 

 of Platyglossus flos-corallis. 



HALICHOERES MELANURUS (Bleeker) 



Julis (Halichoeres) melanurus Bleeker, Nat. Tijds. Ned. Indie, vol. 2, 

 1851, p. 251. Neira, Banda. 



Platyglossus melanurus Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. Ind. N6erl., vol. 1, 1862, 

 p. 109, pi. 46, fig. 1 (Bawean, Celebes, Sangi, Solor, Timor, Buru, iVmboina, 

 Banda, Goram). — GtJNTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 4, 1862, p. 148 

 (Amboina); Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, vol. 8 (16), 1909, p. 265 (Ponape).— 

 Weber, Siboga Exp., vol. 57, Fische, 1913, p. 375 (Elat). 



Depth 2^ to 3H; head 3^ to 3%, width 2}^ to 2%. Snout 

 2J^ to 3; eye 5 to 5%, 1^^ to 1% in snout, 1 to 1}4 in interorbital; 

 maxillary reaches % to eye, 3^ to 43^ in head; interorbital 4 to 

 4%, convex. Gill rakers 4 + 8 short points. 



Scales in lateral line 22, 4 or 5 + 1 or 2 ; 4 scales above lateral line, 

 9 below, 9 or 10 predorsal. Scales with 27 or 28 basal radiating 

 striae, apical 24 to 26; circuli fine. 



D. IX, 12, I, ninth spine 2% to 2% in head, first ray IJ/g to 2; 

 A. Ill, 12, I, third spine 3% to 3^, first ray 2i<C to 2%; caudal l}4 

 to l}/i, convex behind; least depth of caudal peduncle 2 to 2%; 

 pectoral l}^ to 1^; ventral S}4: to 3% in combined head and body. 



Brown generally, scarcely paler below. Along back 6 short 

 vertical pale brown narrow streaks, not extending below median 

 axis of body. On trunk 9 rather broad heliotrope purple longitudinal 

 bands, lower extending on head, also few of uppermost and 1 extends 

 forward below eye from pectoral base and thence to rictus. Iris 

 pale yellowish. Vertical fins all whitish generally. Median brown 

 band whole length of dorsals, though little below middle of soft 

 dorsal, and blackish on first 1 or 2 membranes of spinous dorsal; 

 both dorsals marginally with 2 whitish longitudinal narrow bands. 

 Anal with heliotrope purple basal band and outer half of fin with 3 

 longitudinal brown lines. Caudal with median blackish blotch 

 behind, with 2 or 3 invading grayish transverse bands. Paired 

 fins grayish. Pectoral origin with small blackish spot. 



East Indies and Micronesia. 



