FAMILY LABRIDAE — SCHULTZ 201 



of pectoral fin; distal edge of anal fin white, then submarginally black, 

 then through middle of fin a white streak, forming round white spots 

 posteriorly or white spots along entire length of fin; base of anal black; 

 tips of soft dorsal rays white, remainder of fin dark brown; paired fins 

 pale; peritoneum pale to light dusky. 



Young, standard lengths of 29 to 35 mm,, are pale anteriorly, 

 brown posteriorly with 2 blackish lateral streaks, one from snout 

 through eye, thence to caudal peduncle a little above midlengthwise 

 axis; second from lower side of mouth across lower edge of cheek, 

 thence just below pectoral base along lower lateral side and ending 

 on caudal peduncle. Young, standard lengths 23 to 32 mm., have 

 two black lateral streaks as above but background color white; base 

 of caudal fin with one or two black spots. 



Color when alive. — Anteriorly pale pinkish orange, tinged with 

 iridescent; posteriorly purplish black; pectoral fin slightly yellowish, 

 pale posterior band on caudal fin pale yellowish; outer edges of soft 

 anal and dorsal rays white; upper half of snout rich brown, fading 

 into pale brown over eyes; the roundish pale area on anal fin near 

 middle of rays, lemon yellow; spiny dorsal orange-brown, with a pale 

 green area of spots, rather faint at base of rays on body. 



Ecology. — This common gomphosid occurred among the coral and 

 algal growths in shallow as well as in deep water. At no time, how- 

 ever, were any large series taken ; instead, specimens were taken singly 

 or only a few in any one place. 



Remarks. — Gomphosus undulatus Streets, USNM 19230, is not a 

 synonym of G. varius, as stated by Fowler and Bean 1928 (see foot- 

 note 50) , but is a valid species. 



GOMPHOSUS TRICOLOR Qnoy and Gaimard 



Plate 100, A 



Gomphosus tricolor QuoT and Gaimard, Voyage autour du monde . . . sur . . . 



I'Uranie et \a Physicienne, Zoologie, p. 280, pi. 55, fig. 2, 1824 (type locality, 



Hawaiian Islands). 

 Gomphosus pacificus Seale, Occ. Pap. Bishop Mus., vol. 1, No. 3, p. 94, 1900 



(type locality, Guam). 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll: 8 stations, 9 specimens, 111 to 193 mm. in standard length. 

 Rongelap Atoll: 1 station, 1 specimen, 122 mm. 

 Eniwetok Atoll: 1 station, 1 specimen, 152 mm. 

 Rongerik Atoll: 2 stations, 5 specimens, 108 to 141 mm. 



Description. — Dorsal rays VIII, 13; rarely VIII, 12; anal 111,11; 

 pectoral ii,14; pel vies 1,5; branched caudal fin rays 6+6; scales in 

 lateral line 26 or 27, with 3 or 4 scales above lateral line to base of 

 last dorsal spine and 9 or 10 scales from anal origin to lateral line; 

 gill rakers about 23 to 26 on first gill arch. 



