FAMILY LABRIDAE — SCHULTZ 205 



number but larger, posteriorly the spots are smaller than pupil; the 

 posterior rays of soft dorsal has a black spot, and a series of black spots 

 occur basally in the anal fin. On the 30 mm. specimen, a black spot 

 has formed at the base of the membrane in front of each dorsal fin ray, 

 so characteristic for the adults. 



Color when alive. — Background coloration olive, dark spots blackish 

 or dark brown edged with light blue; dorsal and caudal fins barred 

 with yellowish and brownish red; and barred distally with yellowish 

 and brownish red ; basally the anal is spotted like the body ; lips pinkish. 



Ecology. — This labrid was an abundant species in the tidal area of 

 the atolls and in the lagoon in water as deep as 30 feet. 



Remarks. — Fowler in his various writings places this species in the 

 genus Leptojidis. Weber and De Beaufort place Leptojulis as a sub- 

 genus of Halichoeres. They also place M. pardalis in the genus 

 Macropharyngodon, with which opinion I fully agree. 



MACROPHARYNGODON MELEAGRIS (CoTier and Valenciennes) 



Plate 100, C 



Julis meleagris Cuvier and Valenciennes, Histoire naturelle des poissons, 

 vol. 13, p. 481, 1839 (type locality, Ulea). 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll: 8 stations, 17 specimens, 71 to 121 mm. in standard length. 

 Rongelap Atoll: 3 stations, 7 specimens, 85 to 118 mm. 

 Eniwetok Atoll: 1 station, 3 specimens, 90 to 93 mm. 



Description. — Head 3.0 to 3.2; greatest depth 2.5 to 2,6; longest 

 pectoral ray 4.7 to 5.0; snout tip to anus 1.9 to 2.1; snout to dorsal 

 origin 3.4 to 3.6; all in standard length. Snout 2.7 to 3.1; eye 4.8 to 

 6.8; postorbital length of head 1 .9 ; interorbital space 3.4 to 3.5; longest 

 pectoral ray 1.5 to 1.6; least depth of body 1.7 to 1.8; all in length 

 of head. Eye in fleshy interorbital space 1.5 to 2.0. 



Dorsal profile of head forming an angle of about 75 to 80 degrees 

 with ventral contour of head; pectoral fin reaches to opposite about 

 the tenth or eleventh lateral line pores; outer pelvic rays longest, 

 reaching to anus, longest ray shorter than head; distal margin of caudal 

 fin a little rounded or truncate. 



Color in alcohol. — Background coloration light brownish, each scale 

 with pale center, median fins with brownish-bordered round whitish 

 spots the size of pupil or a little larger; head with round and oblong 

 brown-edged pale areas; isthmus anteriorly with a black ocellate spot, 

 or a black spot; gill membranes between suboperculars blackish; a 

 black spot below lateral fine about 3 scale rows behind upper edge of 

 gill opening; basal half of first to fourth dorsal spines blackish, distally 

 white J lower half of pectoral base with a blackish bar and dorsal edge 



