400 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. lu 



Cirrhitus splendens (Ogilby) 



Figure 5 



Cirrhitichthys splendens Ogilby, 1889, Mem. Australian Mus., no. 2, p. 58, pi. 2 

 (type locality, Lord Howe Island). 



Diagnosis. — Dorsal rays X,12; anal rays 111,6; pectoral rays 

 i,6,vii; lateral-line scales 43; 4 rows of large scales above lateral line in 

 middle of body; 9 scales below lateral line to origin of anal fin; gill 

 rakers 5+1 + 10 (1 specimen). 



Bony supraorbital ridge moderately high, the hind edge slightly 

 hooked (that is, upper portion overhanging base), but extending only 

 slightly posterior to eye; scales on thorax markedly smaller than those 

 on rest of body (scales essentially the same size on thorax as on body 

 of other species of Cirrhitus) (atlanticus not checked); pectoral fins ex- 

 tending beyond pelvic fin tips and posterior to anus, but do not reach 

 origin of anal fin; longest unbranched pectoral ray nearly one-third 

 longer than longest branched ray; interorbital deeply concave, un- 

 sealed; snout length about 2.7 in head length; longest dorsal spine 

 about 2.2 in body depth; depth of body about 3.2 in standard length; 

 small scales on thorax like those on cheek; fii-st dorsal soft ray notice- 

 ably longer than remaining rays (decidedly longer on type) (other 

 species of Cirrhitus lack prolonged first dorsal soft rays) ; upper half of 

 preopercular margin with 26 serrations which are larger than those in 

 species of Cirrhitus with serrations on the preopercle but still small 

 compared to those in species of Cirrhitichthys; suprascapula with 16 

 serrations. 



Color in alcohol brown, with 5 indistinct broad darker brown bars 

 on about upper two-thirds of body, the last on caudal peduncle repre- 

 senting an aggregation of 6 dark brown spots, 3 above and 3 below 

 lateral line; each broad bar of body divides below lateral line to 2 or 3 

 lesser bars (this pattern obscm'e for first 2 bars); head entu-ely covered 

 with dark-edged pale spots the size of pupil or smaller except for a 

 horizontally elongate one posterior to eye, a transversely elongate one 

 on occipital part of head, and a bilobed one with broad dark border 

 middorsally on nape; caudal fin pale w^th elongate black spots ar- 

 ranged in about 3 irregular vertical rows; spinous portion of dorsal fin 

 with a row of 5 large dark-edged pale spots at base; upper triangular 

 portion of each dorsal interspinous membrane black; soft portion of 

 dorsal fin pale, except basal scaled portion which is colored like body; 

 anal and pelvic fins light broAvn; pectoral fins light brown, faintly 

 spotted basally, except outer two-thirds of the thickened simple lower 

 rays which are abruptly pale. 



The life color of the type is given by Ogilby as follows: 



The head is rich brown with numerous round crimson black-edged spots, about 

 two-thirds of the size of a body scale; the body is pale yellowish-brown with six 



