REVIEW OF THE HAWKFISHES — RANDALL 403 



lower smooth; 7 large scales on opercle with small scales anteriorly 

 and on opercular flap; small scales on interopercle; no scales on gill 

 membranes. 



Apparently known only from the type collected at Ilheo das Rolas 

 (0°0' N., 6°32' E.), west Africa. The only cu-rhitid fish recorded 

 from the eastern Atlantic. 



Genus Neocirrhites Castelnau 



Neocirrhites Castelnau, 1873, Proc. Zool. Acclim. Soc. Victoria, vol. 2, p. 101. 



(Type species, Neocirrhites armatus Castelnau, by monotypy). 

 Hughichthys Schultz, 1943, U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. ISO, p. 136. (Type species, 



Cirrhites melanotus Giinther, by original designation and monotypy) . 



Generic characters are given in the key to the genera and the diag- 

 nosis of the single species, which follows. 



Neocirrhites armatus Castelnau 



Figure 8 



Neocirrhites armatus Castelnau, 1873, Proc. Zool. Acclim. Soc. Victoria, vol. 2, 



p. 101 (type locality, Nob Island, east of Cape Grenville, northeastern 



Australia). 

 Cirrhites melanotus Giinther, 1874, Fische der Siidsee, vol. 1, pt. 3, p. 72, pi. 52, 



C (type locality. Society Islands). 

 Paracirrhites melanotus Fowler and Ball, 1925, Bull. B. P. Bishop Mus. 26, p. 16 



(Wake Island). 

 Hughichthys melanotus Schultz, 1943, U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 180, p. 136 (Hull 



Island, Phoenix Islands). 



Diagnosis. — Dorsal rays X,13; anal rays 111,6 or 7 (one with 7); 

 pectoral rays i,7,vi; lateral-line scales 42 to 45; 4 rows of large scales 

 above lateral line in middle of body (6 to origin of dorsal fin) ; 10 or 11 

 scales below lateral line to origin of anal fin; gill rakers 5 + 1 + 10 or 

 11 (12 specimens, Society Islands and Caroline Atoll). 



Palatine teeth absent; margin of preopercle with about 12 coarse 

 serrations; preorbital without a free hind margin; small scales on 

 cheek in more than 12 irregular rows; interorbital space not scaled; 

 4 rows of large scales above lateral line in middle of body (6 to origin 

 of dorsal fin); body deep and compressed, the depth 2 to 2.4 in stand- 

 ard length and the width 2.9 to 3.1 in depth; a tuft of cirri from 

 membrane near tip of each dorsal spine; dorsal spines short, the 

 longest about 3.2 to 3.8 in depth; membranes of dorsal fin not deeply 

 incised, that between fifth and sixth dorsal spines notched less than 

 one-fourth length of spines; first dorsal soft ray not prolonged into a 

 filament; pectoral fins do not reach tips of pelvic fins; pelvic fins 

 reach anus; caudal fin slightly rounded. 



