FAMILY LABRIDAE — SCHULTZ 183 



deeper waters. The largest specimen, 310 mm., was speared in the 

 lagoon at a depth of 30 to 45 feet. 



Remarks. — This species shows a remarkable change in color pattern 

 from the smallest specimens to the largest. Those 13 to 57 mm. are 

 whitish or light tan, dark-spotted anteriorly, with two orange areas 

 on back enclosing two black ocellate spots on dorsal fin; as they get 

 larger, the pale areas disappear, dark spots disappear, and the entire 

 fish becomes plain blackish, except narrow white margins of median 

 fins. 



CORIS VARIEGATA (RttppeU) 



Plate 97, G 



Halichoeres variegatus Ruppeli., Neue Wirbelthiere zu der Fauna von Abysinnien 

 Gehorig, Fische, p. 14, pi. 4, fig. 2, 1836 (type locality, Djedda). 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll, oflf Amen Island, lagoon, depth 30 feet, August 4, 1946, S-46-307 

 Herald and Brock, 1 specimen, 53 mm. 



Description. — Dorsal rays IX, 11; anal 111,11; pectoral ii,ll-ii,ll; 

 pores in lateral line 38 or 39 + 4 -f 10, with 5 scales above lateral line 

 and 19 below to anal origin. 



Head 2.9; greatest depth 3.3; longest pectoral ray 4.9; snout tip to 

 anus 1.8; snout to dorsal origin 2.7; all in standard length. Snout 

 2.8; eye 4.0; postorbital length of head 2.1; fleshy interorbital space 

 3.8; longest pectoral ray 1.7; least depth of body 2.2; all in the length 

 of head. 



Dorsal profile of snout forming an angle of 58 degrees with ventral 

 contour of head; pectoral fin reaches to opposite lateral line pores 18 

 or 19; first soft ray of pelvic longest, not quite reaching anus; distal 

 margin of caudal fin a little rounded. 



Color in alcohol. — Background coloration whitish or pale, with 6 

 narrow dusky bars dorsally; a black spot in membrane between dorsal 

 spines I and II, a black ocellate spot between soft dorsal rays 1 to 3, 

 and a small black spot near middle of soft dorsal ray 9 ; a dark blotch 

 just behind orbit; upper two-thirds of pectoral base with an oblong 

 dark spot. Other characteristic color markings found on larger 

 members of this species are lacking on this specimen. 



Genus THALASSOMA Swainson 



Thalassoma Swainson Natural history and classification of fishes . . ., vol. 2, 

 pp. 172, 224, fig. 57b, 1839 (type species, Julis purpureus Riippell, Atlas zu 

 der Raise im nordlichen Afiika (Fische des rothen meers), pi. 6, fig. 2, 1828"= 

 Scarus purpureus ForskUl). 



The following features are the same for all species of this genus: 

 Body a little compressed; snout normal, not notably elongate; 



422142—60 13 



