132 BULLETIN 189, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 

 MURAENA ALBIGUTTA. new species 



Muraena; Morena 



Figure 30 



Body compressed, thickness at vent about two-thirds depth at 

 same place; tail rather strongly compressed, tapering to a rather 

 sharp point; length anterior to vent 2.1, 2.3 in total length; head 

 moderately compressed, its length anterior to gUl opening 7.7, 7.25 

 in total length, 3.6, 3.1 in length anterior to vent; depth 6.0, 5.2 in 

 length anterior to vent, 1.65, 1.65 in head; snout fairly robust, nearly 

 square in cross section, 5.4, 5.8 in head; eye rather large, lateral, 9.0, 

 9.4 in head, 1.75, 1.55 in snout; mouth moderately large, not quite 

 terminal, the snout projecting slightly, the gape reaching well be- 

 yond eye, 2.25, 2.6 in head; teeth in a single row in each jaw in the 

 larger specimen at hand, double for a short distance at midlength in 

 the upper jaw of the smaller one; vomer anteriorly with two large, 

 fanglike, single depressible teeth and four small ones on shaft; tube 



Figure 30. — Muraena albigutta, new species. From the type, 575 mm. long, Lobos de 

 Afuera Island, Peru (U.S.N.M. No. 127840). Inserts: A, Diagram showing shape and 

 proportions; B, mouth spread open showing the teeth. 



of anterior nostril about three-fourths length of eye, reaching well 

 beyond margin of lip if drawn forward and downward, second nostril 

 over anterior part of eye, its tube about three-fourths length of that 

 of anterior one; gill opening not quite horizontal, a little shorter than 

 snout; vertical fins rather broadly confluent around the tail; origin of 

 dorsal over nape, higher than the anal; distance anterior to dorsal 

 4.35, 4.0 in length anterior to vent. 



Color of the larger preserved specimen grayish, speckled almost 

 everywhere with white dots, extending on fins, smallest on head and 

 largest on distal part of tail, none larger than pupil of eye, those on 

 tail more or less distinctly surrounded by dark rings; pale blotches 

 present almost everywhere except on head; angle of mouth black, not 

 preceded by a pale spot on mandible; furrows of skin folds on lower 



