272 BULLETIN 100, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Platyglossus opercularis Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 4, 1862, p. 148. 

 Fiji and Amboina; Fishes of Zanzibar, 1866, p. 95, pi. 12, fig. 1 (Johanna 

 Island); Cruise of Curacoa, Brenchley, 1873, p. 410 (Solomons). — Meyer, 

 An. Soc. Hist. Nat. Madrid, vol. 14, 1885, p. 36 (North Celebes).— 

 Gunther, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, vol. 8 (16), 1909, p. 264 (Pelew 

 Islands, Solomons, Samoa, Fiji, Guam, Rotuma, Ruk). 



Halichoeres opercularis Jordan and Richardson, Bull. Bur. Fisher., vol. 

 27, 1907 (1908), p. 267 (Calayan).— McCulloch, Proc. Linn. Soc. New 

 South Wales, vol. 35, 1910, p. 431 (Masthead Island, Queensland). — 

 Snyder, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 42, 1912, p. 421 (Tanegashima) ; 

 p. 507 (Okinawa). 



Depth 3 to 3}i; head 2% to 2^, width 2% to 2^4. Snout 

 33^ to 3J^; eye 4,^ to 4%, 13^3 to 1% in snout, equals interorbital; 

 maxillary reaches ^ to eye, 4 to 43^ in head; interorbital 43^ to 53^, 

 convex. Gill rakers 8 + 12, lanceolate, short, weak. 



Scales in lateral line 22 or 23, 4 or 5 + 2; 3 scales above lateral line, 

 9 below, 6 predorsal. Scales with 21 to 25 basal radiating striae, 

 apical 19 or 20; circuli fine. 



D. IX, 11,1, ninth, spine 2 J^ to 3 3^ in head, first ray 23^3 to 2%; 

 A. Ill, 11,1, third spine 33^ to 3%, first ray 2% to 23^; caudal 1% to 

 1%, convex behind; least depth of caudal peduncle 23/^ to 2^; pectoral 

 1% to 1%; ventral 2 to 2^. 



Brown generally, whitish below. On back 5 dark blotches above 

 lateral line; below lateral line and along middle of side 3 rows of 

 scales each with median spot to each scale. Along lower side of 

 trunk and tail 6 whitish blotches. Pectoral axil broadly with white 

 and also small brown spot, followed behind by deep brown blotch. 

 Behind this 2 parallel slightly oblique, close-set lines, sloping little 

 forward; at next white blotch another oblique line at same angle; 

 these white lines only extend from below median lateral axis of body. 

 Scattered pearly scales also on caudal peduncle and along middle of 

 side, which with large dusk}'' area. Head with white band from 

 rictus, below eye, to and including lower half of opercle. Dark 

 spot, less than pupil, behind eye. Also larger dark brown blotch 

 at pectoral base. Dorsals pale, with deep brown waved vertical 

 bands, some paired. Small black ocellus at front of spinous dorsal 

 and larger one at front of soft dorsal. Anal with whitish, waved 

 vertical lines. Rays of caudal with pale spots. Other fins all pale 



East Africa to the East Indies, Japan, Micronesia, Queensland, 

 Somoa and Fiji. Differs from HalicJioeres reichei chiefly in the 

 horizontal dark band across the cheek. 



1597, 1612, 1614. Batan Island tide-pool. June 5, 1909. 6 examples. Length, 



45 to 80 mm. 

 8 examples, Gubat Bay, Luzon, tide-pools. June 23, 1909. Length, 62 to 70 mm. 

 20114. Ulugan Bay, near Baheli River mouth. December 28, 1908. Length, 



75 mm. 

 51960 U.S.N.M. Negros. Dr. B. Dean. Length, 45 mm. 1 example. 



