4 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 02 Vol. 2 



spine of dorsal fin flexible. Of the 9 species in the genus 

 4 or possibly 5 are known from Oceania. One species is known 

 from the Hawaiian fauna, U. arge Jordan and Evermann, and one, 

 U. vittatus (Forskal), from the Marianas Islands but not reported 

 as yet from the Marshall Islands. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF UPENEUS FROM OCEANIA 



la. Total number of gillrakers range from 26 to 32; pectoral rays number 15 to 18; 

 peritoneum brown to black. 

 2a. Caudal fin without dark bars; chin barbels long, 58 to 82 percent of head 

 length in large specimens over 85 mm.; barbel usually extends pos- 

 teriorly V>eyond vertical drawn through posteriormost point of pre- 



opercle; plate 75, A U. sulphureus * Cuvier and Valenciennes 



26. Caudal fin with oblique dark bars on upper lobe; chin barbels short, 46 to 



66 percent of head length; barbel when extended posteriorly not 



reaching vertical drawn through posteriormost point of preopercle. 



3a. liOwer lobe of caudal fin transparent to dusky, without dark, oblique 



bars; a pale to yellow median horizontal stripe on side of body, 



often faintly developed or obscure; plate 75, B. 



U. moluccensis '* (Bleeker) 

 2>h. Lower lobe of caudal fin with 2 or 3 dark oblique bars, the outer bar 

 widest and more intensely colored; a light colored median and 

 dorsolateral, horizontal stripe on body usually present. 



U. vittatus (Forsk&l) 



\h. Total number of gillrakers range from 19 to 25; pectoral rays number 12 to 



15; peritoneum silvery to transparent, sometimes with scattered, tine 



brownish spots. 



4a. Scales smaller, 36 to 38 vertical rows on body; a faint, tan ntedian and 



dorsolateral horizontal stripe on body, often completely faded; head 



and body lacking dark spots; tip of spinous dorsal fin without dark 



spot; plate 75,D U. arge ^ Jordan and Evermann 



46. Scales larger, 28 to 32 vertical rows on body; a conspicuous dark Vjrown 

 n)edian stripe on body; head and body with numerous dark brown 

 spots, sometimes faded; outer portion of spinous dorsal fin with a large 

 dark brown to black irregular spot; plate 75,E. 



U. tragula ^ Richardson 



* Upeneus sulphureus Cuvier and Valenciennes, Histoire naturelle des poissons, p. 450, 1829 (type locality, 

 Antjer Straits of Sundra). 



Occurs from East Africa through East Indies, Philippines and certain islands of western Oceania (Fiji, 

 Lachnor, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 103, p. 513, 1954); New Hebrides, Herre, Field Mas. Nat. Hist. Zool. 

 Series, vol. 21, p. 210, 1936) but not yet known from the Marshall or Marianas Islands. 



> Upeneoides moluccensis Bleeker, Nat. Tijdschr. Nederl.-IndiB, vol. 8, p. 409, 1855 (type locality, 

 Amboina). 



Reported from India through East Indie.s-Philippine area, northward to southern Japan and southward 

 to Australia. Lachner (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 103, p. 515, 1954) doubtfully reports it from the Samoan 

 Islands. 



« Upeneus arge Jordan and Evermann, Bull. U. S. Fish. Comm., vol. 22 (1902), p. 187, 1903 (type locality, 

 Honolulu). 



Reported from the Hawaiian, Phoenix, Palmyra, Caroline, and Gilbert Islands. 



' Upeneus tragula Richardson, Rep. Fifteenth Meet. British Asso. Adv. Sci., p. 220, 1846 (type locality. 

 Canton). 



This species is reported to be common in the western Indo-Pacific. It occurs from East Africa eastward 

 throuRh the Philippines to the Pelew and Solomon Islands, and from southern Japan to Nev/ South Wales, 

 Australia. 



