188 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 02 VoL 2 



of head 2.0 to 2.1; interorbital space 4.4 to 4.7; longest pectoral ray 

 (second branched) 1.4 to 1.5; least depth of body 2.2 to 2.3; all in 

 length of head. Distance between anterior and posterior nasal open- 

 ings 3.1 to 5.1 in snout. Ej^e 0.7 to 1.1 in interorbital space. 



Dorsal profile of head evenly convex, forming an angle of about 60 

 to 65 degrees with ventral contour of head; pectoral fin reaches to 

 opposite tenth or eleventh pore of lateral line; pelvics reach two- 

 thirds of the way to the anus; distal edge of caudal peduncle a little 

 rounded on smallest, truncate on largest specimens. 



Color in alcohol. — Background coloration grayish, white below, 

 grayish dorsally, upper sides with 6 or 7 wedge-shaped black bars that 

 disappear a little below midlengthwise axis, this black bar about 2 or 

 3 scales wide dorsally; dorsal fin usually with a lengthwise median 

 black streak; basally and distally the dorsal fin is pale, sometimes it is 

 plain whitish without color marks; anal fin vnih. or without a black 

 spot anteriorl}-, remainder of anal fin plain whitish; base of pectoral 

 blackish anteriorly and dorsally. Radiating from eye are about 5 

 broad dusky bars alternating with pale ones of approximately the 

 same width. 



Color when alive. — The black bars have a reddish tinge and the 

 radiating bars from eye are red vath the interspaces olive; median 

 fins light yellowish; dorsal and ventral subedges of the caudal fin with 

 a dull red streak. 



Ecology. — This species was uncommon on the reef and occurred 

 only sparingly in the intertidal region of the reefs. 



THALASSOMA LUNARE (Unnaens) 



Figure 100,c; Plate 106, A 



Labrus lunaris Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 10, p. 283, 1768 (type locality, 



India). 

 Thalassoma herrei Seale, Proc. California Acad. Sci., ser. 4, vol. 21, No. 27, p. 



369, pi. 23, fig. 2, 1935 (type locality, Florida Island). 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 

 Jaluit Atoll: January 12, 1900, Albatross, 1 specimen, 116 mm. 



Description. — Certain counts are recorded in table 101. 



Head 3.4; greatest depth 3.5; longest pectoral ra}^ 4.9; snout to 

 anus 1.8; snout to dorsal origin 3.0; all in standard length. Snout 2.8; 

 eye 6.0; postorbital length of head 1.9; interorbital space 4.5; longest 

 pectoral ray 1.5; least depth of body 1.8, all in length of head. Dis- 

 tance between anterior and posterior nasal openings 5.0 in snout. 

 Eye 1.3 in interorbital space. 



Dorsal profile of head convex, front of head forming an angle of 

 about 65 to 70 degrees with ventral contour of head; pectoral fin 



