FAMILY POMACENTRIDAE — WOODS AND SCHULTZ 79 



dusky basally, pale dista.lly; anal slightly dusky grayish; upper and 

 lower caudal lobes intensely black or brownish, middle caudal rays 

 pale, line of demarcation distinct; pelvics pale or slightly dusky; 

 pectoral pale except upper edge of upper ray with thin black line, no 

 dark spot at base of pectorals. 



Genus ABUDEFDUF Forsk&l 



Abudefduf ForskSl, Descriptiones animalium . . . , p. 59, 1775 (type species, 

 Chaetodon sordidus Forskai, assumed through common name). 



We have examined examples of all the species of this genus available 

 in the U. S. National Museum and find that they fall readily into three 

 groups as defined in the key. 



Bleeker has recognized Glyphidodon, Amblyglyphidodon, and Stegastes 

 as subgenera of Abudefduf but has removed the species here grouped 

 under Chrysiptera into a separate genus, Glyphidodontops based on 

 the two rows of teeth in the jaws, the absence of scales on the inter- 

 orbital and prenasal area and the elongate form of the body. We 

 do not consider the Chrysiptera group sufficiently distinct to require 

 a separate genus. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF ABUDEFDUF FROM THE NORTHERN MARSHALL AND 



MARIANAS ISLANDS 



la. Dorsal spines XIII. 



2a. Teeth of jaws in a single row (see 26 for description of inner row) tips com- 

 pressed, incisiform, truncate or biscuspid, at least at front of jaws; 

 body deep, compressed; snout, preorbital and suborbital naked or 

 scaled. Subgenus Abudefduf ForskS.1. 

 3a. Body and head uniform light brownish yellow when ahve, with some 

 blue scales on head; spiny dorsal dusky; dorsal rays usually XIII, 12; 

 anal 11,14; pectoral I,i,14; scales 26 or 27; gill rakers 7+1 + 19. 



A. aureus (Cuvier and Valenciennes) 

 Sb. Sides of body with 4 to 6 dark vertical bars. 



4a. Dorsal rays XIII,15 or 16; anal rays 11,14 or 15; snout, preorbital 

 and suborbital naked; jaw teeth tricuspid in young, bicuspid in 

 half -grown, truncate in adults; body with 5 or 6 transverse dark 

 bars, obscure in adults, a large black spot on dorsal surface of 

 caudal peduncle in specimens of all sizes, a small black spot on 

 dorsal edge of pectoral base; pectoral rays ii,17; upper part of 

 lateral line with 22 tubular scales; gill rakers 11 + 1 + 15 = 27. 



A. sordidus (ForskUl) 

 4b. Dorsal rays XIII,11 to 13; anal 11,11 to 13. 



5o. Preorbital naked; suborbital partly scaled, often nearly naked in 



adults; snout or top of head scaled forward to interorbital area 



or to nostrils. 



6a. Top of head scaled forward to nostrils; 5 transverse black bands 



on body; young with pattern similar to that of adults; snout 



4.0 to 5.6 in head; dorsal rays XIII, 11 to 13; anal 11,11 or 12; 



pectoral ii,17, lateral hne with 20 to 21 tubular scales; gill 



rakers 7 or 8+1 + 17 = 25 to 26 A. saxatilis (Linnaeus) 



