FAMILY MULLIDAE — LACHNER 27 



4 to 6 radii in anterior field; pectoral fin pointed, posterior branch of 

 last ray of soft dorsal fin slightly elongate, that of anal conspicuously 

 elongate, about one-third longer than length of sixth anal ray. 



Color in alcohol. — Head and body tan, dusky to dusky tan above, 

 light below; barbels light; the characteristic color mark is a blackish 

 irregular to rectangular spot or blotch located on the midbody area 

 below the end of the spiny dorsal, or its center at a point where the 

 longest ray of the pectoral fin touches the lateral line, this spot almost 

 divided into halves by the lateral line, sometimes twice as deep as 

 wide, greatest depth equal to length of snout; located immediately 

 posterior to dark spot is a very light spot extending from half a scale 

 row below base of soft dorsal fin to about half a scale row below 

 lateral line; this light spot equal to or slightly longer than length 

 of base of soft dorsal fin ; a diffuse, dusky saddle is located posterior 

 to last two rays of soft dorsal fin, extending to one scale row below 

 lateral fine and half the distance to end of caudal peduncle, very 

 faint or completely obscure in some specimens; basal third of soft 

 dorsal fin is black, remainder of fin fight or transparent; all other 

 fins are light or transparent. The young in transformation stages, 

 taken at night, are dusky to blackish with only a faint dorsolateral 

 spot (see remarks below). 



Color in life. — The following color notes were taken from a koda- 

 chrome transparency photographed by Dr. Donald Strasburg from 

 a specimen about 6 inches in total length: Head and body light 

 silvery, suffuse with orange-red on hps, snout, operculum, and dor- 

 sally on head, and in lesser amounts dorsolaterally on body; a black 

 spot dorsolaterally below end of spiny dorsal fin; spiny dorsal reddish; 

 soft dorsal with an intense black basal bar on lower half of fin, the 

 upper portion dusky to pale tinted with some orange ; anal fin dusky, 

 with some orange; caudal fin light orange at base, becoming lighter 

 toward outer portion; barbels light; iris orange wdth some black, 

 pupil deep black. 



Range. — P. pleurostigma is a wide-ranging species that has been 

 reported from the east African coast eastward to the Hawaiian 

 Islands. 



Remarks. — As is characteristic in several species of Parupeneus, the 

 length of snout and barbel in pleurostigma increase with growth and 

 the eye becomes smaller. The most abrupt change occurs at a 

 length of 40 to 60 mm., probably associated with the transformation 

 from the pelagic stage. 



The color of 81 specimens, 49 to 56 mm. m length, from Rongelap 

 Atoll, taken July 1, 1946, at night, is dusky to blackish, with the fins 

 transparent to dusky. The black, dorsolateral spot on the body is 

 faint, barely discernible m many of the specimens. The spot varies 



