FAMILY MULLIDAE — LACHNER 37 



tapering posteriorly to one or two more or less irregular rows; no 

 vomerine or palatine teeth. 



The folloAving characters were common to all species of Mulloi- 

 dichthys studied and apply to some of the other genera in the family: 

 Scales on caudal fin, absent on dorsal and anal fins; dorsal fin rays 

 VIII-i,8 the first spine minute, pectoral fin rays 16 to 18; scales above 

 lateral line 3, below lateral line 6 or 7, around narrow portion of caudal 

 peduncle 15 or 16; first elongate spine of spinous dorsal flexible near 



tip. 



This genus inhabits the tropical and subtropical littoral marine 

 waters of the Indo-Pacific, Eastern Pacific, and Western Atlantic 

 regions. At least four species are knowm from Oceania, three from 

 the Eastern Pacific and one from the Western Atlantic regions. Three 

 species were taken in the Marshall Islands and one from the 

 Marianas. 



Characters useful in distinguishing the species are summarized in 

 tables 79 and 80. 



No appreciable population divergence was found when comparing 

 various meristic counts, measurements, color, or color pattern in 

 those species where sdfficient specimens were available for study from 

 various subfaunal areas. The data comparing the total number of 

 gill rakers showed a tendency toward an East to West gradient when 

 a few specimens were compared, but this was insignificant when 

 larger samples (see descriptions of samoensis and auriflamma) were 

 available. 



Several species reported from Oceania are so little known that 

 their generic allocation is even doubtful. Psevdupeneus eutaeniatus 

 Fowler (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 96, p. 170, fig. 21, 

 1944, type locahty. New Hebrides) may represent a species of Mul- 

 loidichthys, for his statement, "Teeth minute, uniform close-set, 

 form an apparent row in each jaw, none on palate," comes closer to 

 describing the dentition of Mulloidichthys. He may have examined 

 only the villiform tooth patch, which tapers to a row or two of small 

 teeth posteriorly in both jaws. Otherwise eutaeniatus could only be 

 referred to the genus Parupeneus. His count for the total number of 

 gill rakers (18) is considerably lower than for any species known from 

 Oceania, other than certain Upeneus where the lowest count was 

 found to be 19. This may suggest that eutaeniatus may represent 

 a species of Upeneus. The small palatal teeth in this genus can be 

 easily overlooked. Pseudupeneus eutaeniatus Fowler, is known only 

 by the type, w^hich was not available for this study. 



Another species which may be referred to the genus Mulloidichthys 

 is Upeneus bilineatus Fowler (Bemice P. Bishop Mus., Bull. 38, p. 

 17, fig. 2, 1927, Palmyra Island). Fowler listed the dentition as. 



