FAMILY LABRIDAE — SCHULTZ 195 



Description. — Head 3.0 to 3.4; greatest depth 3.3 to 3.5; longest 

 pectoral ray 4.4 to 4.8; snout tip to anus 1.7 to 1.8; snout to dorsal 

 origin 2.7 to 3.0; all in standard length. Snout 3.2 to 3.4; eye 4.1 

 to 5.8; postorbital length of head 1.9 to 2.0; interorbital space 4.0 to 

 4.7; longest pectoral ray (second branched) 1.4 to 1.8; all in length 

 of head. Distance between anterior and posterior nasal openings 

 4.0 to 4.6 in snout. Eye 0.8 to 1.6 in interorbital space. 



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

 to 70 degrees with ventral contour of head; pectoral fin reaches to 

 opposite about eleventh lateral line pore; pel vies reach two-thirds 

 of the way to the anus ; distal edge of caudal fin rounded in the young, 

 truncate in half -grown, and concave in adults. 



Color in alcohol. — Background coloration fight olive to dark brown 

 or blackish with two pale lengthwise streaks on sides. The dark 

 adult color pattern is usually distinct at standard lengths of 50 mm. 

 and longer. It consists of a grayish-white streak along upper sides 

 and another along midlengthwise axis of body, bordered above and 

 below by blackish streaks; lower part of body paler. The dark 

 streak between the two white or pale ones is widest and meets its 

 fellow at middorsal line of nape. The dark streaks above and below 

 the median white streak on sides are broken into black oblong blotches, 

 one for each scale. Dorsal posterior part of pectoral fin is dusky, 

 the basal part clear. Radiating from eye are six dusky to blackish 

 streaks: One from dorsal edge of eye, meeting its fellow at mid- 

 dorsal line; one from front of eye, meeting its fellow on middle of 

 snout; one to rear of preorbital just in front of corner of mouth; 

 two from a common origin at lower edge of eye, the first to under 

 side of head and the second posteriorly to opposite lower front part 

 of pectoral base; and one from rear of eye, curving toward dorsal 

 edge of pectoral fin base. Lips and chin whitish; pelvic and anal 

 fins pale or white; caudal fin pale or white in central portion but 

 dusky basally and both dorsal and ventral edges are dusky. Dark 

 spot near tip of snout is present in most of the smaller, lighter colored 

 specimens; dorsal edge of pectoral base with blackish area; dorsal 

 fin with black blotch between first to third spines; soft dorsal fin 

 with dark spot between second and third rays; at base of each dorsal 

 fin ray, between length of 30 to 70 mm., occurs a dark spot, which 

 frequently is lacking on base of fifth and ninth soft rays. At standard 

 lengths from 14 to about 35 mm. only three dark spots are prominent 

 on dorsal fin, the dark spots at base of rays are absent or indistinct, 

 one spot occurs between first and third spines, one between second 

 and fourth soft ray; and one at base of last soft ray; also a black dot 

 occurs just dorsal to midline at base of caudal fin. 



