FAMILY LABRIDAE — SCHTJLTZ 143 



KEY TO THE GENERA RELATED TO XYRICHTHYS 



la. First two dorsal spines flexible and spines III to IX pungent. 



2a. Membrane between all dorsal spines connected near their tips and mem- 

 brane between dorsal spines II and III not incised; first two dorsal 

 rays may be elongate and bannerlike or as short as the pungent 



spines Xyrichthys Cuvier 



26. Membrane between dorsal spines II and III deeply incised, usually to base 

 of spine III, or the first two flexible spines are completely separated 

 from the pungent spines III to IX; preorbital distance 1.0 to 1.8 in 

 postorbital length of head. 

 3a. Membrane between dorsal spines II and III incised to base of third. 



Hemipteronotus Lacepfede 

 3h. First two dorsal spines, flexible, elongate, forming a distinct fin com- 

 pletely separated from the third spine Iniistius " Gill 



lb. First dorsal spine flexible, spines II to IX pungent; vertical line through 

 front of eye behind rear corner of mouth, least preorbital distance 

 2 to 2.5 in postorbital length of head Novaculops, ^^ new genus 



37 Iniistius Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 14 (1862), p. 143, 145, 1863 (type species, 

 Xyrichthys pavo Cuvier and Valenciennes). 



I have studied all the specimens of this genus in the U. S. National Museum and am able to distinguish 4 

 species. All recent authors have considered I. pavo (Cuvier and Valenciennes) and /. pavoninus (Cuvier 

 and Valenciennes) as synonymous; however, as is usually the case, closely related species from Mauritius 

 and from the Hawaiian Islands are distinct. The original description indicates the chief diflerence; pavo 

 has 2 or 3 rows of scales on the cheek, whereas pavoninus has only a single row under the eye. 



The following key distinguishes the 4 species studied by me: 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF INIISTIUS 

 la. Cheek below eye with 2 or 3 rows of scales; blackish dorsal spot in oblique scale row passing lateral line pore 8; no 



groove across cheeck posteriorly from comer of mouth (Mauritius) I. pavo » (Cuvier and Valenciennes) 



lb. Cheek below eye with a single row of scales. 

 2a. Blackish dorsal spot in oblique scale row passing lateral line pore 8; no groove across cheek posteriorly from comer 

 of mouth. 

 3d. Body with 4 broad dark vertical bars, separated by paler interspaces; dorsal fin with or without 1 to 3 black spots. 



I. PAVONINUS b (Cuvier and Valenciennes) 



3b. Body and head very dark brown or blackish, no bars; fin blackish (Hawaiian Islands) ... I. Niger • (Steindachner) 



2b. Blackish dorsal spot in oblique scale row passing lateral line pore 7; a distinct but shallow linelike groove posteriorly 



across cheek from corner of mouth; body not barred (Japan) I. dba <> (Temminck and Schlegel) 



» Xyrichthys pavo Cuvier and Valenciennes, Histoire naturelle des poiasons, vol. 14, p. 01, pi. 391, 1839 (type locality, Isl 

 de France). 



One specimen from Mauritius (DSNM 130976), studied by me. 



■> Xyrichthys pavoninus Cuvier and Valenciennes, Histoire naturelle des poiasons, vol. 14, p. 63, 1839 (type locality, 



NlTacula Utrazon'a Bleeker, Nat. Tijdschr. Nederl.-IndiS. vol. 17, p. 169, 1858-59 (type locality, Bali), Atlas ichthy- 

 ologique . . .. vol. 1. p. 149. pi. 30, 6g. 1, 18R2. , ,. „ „ ^ ,, ■ 



Iniistius mundicorpus Gill. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, p. 145, 1862 (type locality. Cape St. Lucas. Mexico; neotype 

 CUSNM 7338). Cape St. Lucas, collected by J. Xantus). , ,., „ ■• t , j ^ 



Iniistius leucozonus Jenkin.s, Bull. U. S. Fish. Comm., vol. 19 (1899), p. 54. fig. 11. 1901 (type locality, Hawaiian Islands). 

 Iniistius cacatua Waite. Reo. Auatralian Mua., vol. 4, p. 41, pi. 7. 1901 (type locality. Lord Howe Island). 



» Novacula Uniistius) nigra Steindachner, Anz. Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien. 1900, No. 16, p. 178, 1900 (type looaUty, 

 Honolulu); Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien, voL 70, p. 605, pL 4, fig. 2, 1900 (Honolulu). .. t , j ^ 



Iniistius terater Jenkins, BuU. U. S. Fish. Comm., vol. 19 (1899), p. 55. fig. 12, 1901 (type locality, Hawaiian Islands) 



•* Xyrichthys dea Temminck and Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, pt. 4, p. 171. pi. 87, 1845 (type looaUty, Japan). 



38 Type species, Novaculichlhys woodi Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish. Comm., vol. 19 (1899), p. .52, fig. 8, 1900 

 (type locality, HonoltHu). 



N. entarqyreus Jenkins (Bull. U. S. Fish. Comm., vol. 19 (1899), p. 53, flg. 9, 1900) from Honolulu is a 

 synonym of N. woodi; diagnosis based on 7 specimens in the U. S. National Museum. 



