202 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 202 Vol. 2 



Head 2.2 to 2.5; greatest depth 3.5 to 3.8; longest pectoral fin ray 

 5.1 to 5.6; snout tip to anus 1.6 to 1.7; snout to dorsal origin 2.1 and 

 2.2; all in standard length. Snout 1.7 to 2.0 (in adults) ; eye 7 to 11 ; 

 postorbital length of head 2.5 to 2.9; interorbital space (bony) 0.8 

 to 7.5; longest pectoral fin ray 2.3 to 2.5; least depth of body 3.4 to 

 3.7; all in head length. Distance between anterior and posterior 

 nasal openings 10 to 12 in snout. Eye 1.0 to 1.6 in interorbital space. 



Body a little compressed, snout excessively elongate, tubiform, 

 shorter in smaller specimens than in large adults; dorsal profile of 

 head and snout a Uttle concave; interorbital space strongly convex; 

 anterior nostrils a short tube; upper jaw a Uttle longer than lower; 

 mouth reaching about halfway to eye; teeth in a single row in both 

 jaws, anterior 2 or 3 pairs in both jaws enlarged, middle pau- of upper 

 jaw a httle hooked, those of lower jaw pointing forward and with 

 curved tips, gill membranes joined to isthmus; subopercle with a free 

 lower edge; posterior vertical edge of preopercle free; head naked; 

 body scaled; base of caudal fin scaled, other fins naked except low 

 sheath of scales along bases of dorsal and anal fins ; lateral line follows 

 dorsal contour with an abrupt bend to midaxis opposite rear base of 

 dorsal fin; pectoral fin reaches to opposite tenth or eleventh lateral 

 line scale; second branched ray from dorsal edge longest; pel vies 

 reach about Ys to % the way to anus. 



Color in alcohol. — Background coloration plain dark brown to dark 

 greenish brown or greenish black; anal and dorsal fins white, except 

 color of body may extend very slightly on bases of these fins; caudal 

 fin brownish, dark greenish brown basally this color extending on 

 outer edges of fin to rear tips of outer rays, central area of fin in 

 posterior half white; sharply contrasting with dark color, the latter 

 having a strongly concave edge ; pectorals and pelvics dusky, pectoral 

 with a darker diffuse \vide band across middle of length, basal third 

 paler than distal part; dorsal edge of pectoral base with a black spot; 

 peritoneum pale to light dusky; above pectoral fin base a pale area 

 that may extend above lateral line nearly to just in front of dorsal 

 fin origin, this pale area variously developed, scarcely visible at 

 lengths of 100 to 150 mm. and becoming very light at about 200 mm. 

 in standard length. 



Color when alive. — Backgi-ound color dark green or dark greenish 

 blue with center of each scale purple; pale area over pectoral fin fight 

 green; posterior part of caudal fin green; basal pectoral fin dusky 

 green, then basal half purpfish black, with a pale blue band across the 

 middle, then distal third fight dusky; soft dorsal and anal fins green. 



Ecology. — This reef inhabiting species was seldom seen and was 

 never taken in abundance; the smaUest specimen collected was 108 

 mm., the young were not seen. 



