FAMILY LABRIDAE — SCHTJLTZ 



139 



The genus Wetmorella is characterized by dorsal rays IX or X,9 or 

 10; anal 111,8; pectoral ii,9 or 10; branched caudal rays 6+5; lateral 

 line interrupted with 13 to 15+6 or 7 pores to base of caudal fin. 

 Jaws equal or nearly so; premaxillary protractile; teeth short, conical, 

 in a single row in both jaws, those near front of both jaws becoming 

 gradually enlarged, the two pairs nearest tip of jaws largest; gill mem- 

 branes broadly joined across isthmus, forming a free fold; head with a 

 distinctive scale pattern composed of large characteristically shaped 

 scales, arranged in a pattern similar to that shown in figure 96. The 

 chief variation in scales on the head is that there may be 2 median 

 scales on the snout instead of 1; cheek with 1 or 2 rows of scales, 

 below which on subopercle may occur another row and a single scale 

 below that; 2 or 3 rows of scales behind eye, including the gill cover; 

 a row of large scales occurs above dorsal lateral line, then a second 

 row along spiny dorsal fin, mostly covering the spines except tips, 

 becoming much smaller along soft dorsal rays, almost disappearing 

 on base of last ray; anal fin with a similar sheath of scales; basal 

 half of caudal fin enclosed in large scales; axillary pelvic scale present, 

 short; interorbital space flattish and a little convex; dorsal profile of 

 head nearly straight, forming an angle of 40 to 55 degrees with ventral 

 contour of head; maxillary covered by preorbital when mouth is 

 closed. A blacldsh ocellate spot in pelvics, and at rear of soft dorsal 

 and anal fins; white bar behind eye and one on caudal peduncle. 



Counts for the species of Wetmorella are recorded in table 96. 



Figure 96. — Sketch of the arrangement of the scales on the head of the holotype of 

 Wetmorella philippina bifasciata Schultz and Marshall. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF WETMORELLA 



lo. Greatest width of white bar between rear of bases of soft dorsal and of soft 

 anal fins across caudal peduncle is contained about 2.0 to 4.7 times (3.8 

 to 4.7 in Red Sea specimens) in least depth of caudal peduncle; white bar 

 on caudal peduncle completely encircles it; young only, with white bar 

 from front of spiny dorsal through pectoral base, thence to pelvic bare; 

 white bar behind eye meets its fellow near occiput. 



