438 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. in 



Diagnosis. — Dorsal rays X,12 (one with 13); anal rays 111,6; 

 pectoral raj^s i,7,vi (one with ii,6,vi); lateral-lme scales 41 to 45 

 (usually 43 or 44); 3 rows of large scales above lateral line in middle 

 of body; 10 scales below lateral line to origin of anal fin; gill rakers 

 3 to 5 + 1 + 9 to 11 (usually 4 + 1 + 10) (20 specimens, Red Sea, Phoenix 

 Islands, Marquesas Islands, and Gorgona Island, Colombia). 



Depth of body 2.8 to 3 in standard length; snout 3.5 to 3.7 in head 

 length; fifth dorsal spine the longest, its length 1.7 to 2.2 in depth; 

 bony mterorbital space about 2 in eye of adults; median anterior part 

 of interorbital and region between nostrils scaled; profile of head, 

 excluding eye, without a marked indentation above eye; serrations 

 on preopercle 14 to 19 (at standard lengths greater than about 45 

 mm., see fig. 1); preorbital unsealed or with a few scales, its free hind 

 edge without spines; maxillary ends slightly posterior to a vertical at 

 front of eye (except Red Sea specimens; on these the maxillary ex- 

 tendmg ahnost to center of eye); first dorsal soft ray prolonged, at 

 least in sizes gi'eater than about 35 mm, standard length; tips of pelvic 

 fins extending beyond anus (except Red Sea specimens), caudal fin 

 slightly emarginate to truncate. 



Color in alcohol light tan with 4 lengthwise rows of subquadrate 

 dark brown spots on body; in addition, a row of smaller spots on lateral 

 line interspersed between larger spots; a series of spots as large as the 

 last-mentioned one at base of dorsal fin; opercle and interopercle with 

 a line of about 5 blackish spots; dark brown spots on nape, snout, and 

 ventrally on head, those at latter location arranged in 2 bands running 

 ventraUy from eye; dorsal and caudal fins spotted with dark brown; 

 remaining fins pale. 



Life color of 70 mm. specimen from the Marquesas: light browTi on 

 back shading almost to white ventrally, with prominent dark brown 

 to red blotches (those on caudal peduncle and above anal fin red) 

 on head and in 4 lengthwise rows on body (in addition, 4 smaller spots 

 in a row along lateral line between upper 2 rows) ; dorsal fin light brown, 

 spotted with dark brown on spinous portion and basal soft portion 

 of fin and with red on outer part of soft portion; cirri near tips of 

 dorsal spines red; filamentous first dorsal soft ray yeUow; caudal fin 

 with dusky membranes and reddish rays, and spotted with red and 

 dark browi^i (some spots red with dark brown centers), except distal 

 half of upper 3 principal caudal rays which are j^ellowdsh; anal and 

 pelvic fins reddish; pectoral fin membranes hyaline, rays dusky basal- 

 ly, red distaUy; mouth slightly reddish; iris orange with a ring of 

 brown. 



Remarks. — The holotype (No. 5844), 61 mm. in standard length, is 

 in the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historic at Leiden. 



