FAMILY LABRIDAE — SCHULTZ 221 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Rongerik Atoll: Latoback Island, lagoon reef, August 14, 1947, Brock, Schultz 

 and Donaldson, 2 specimens, 90 and 92 mm. 



In addition, two other specimens were studied, one from the Philippines and 

 the other from Mauritius. 



Description. — Certain counts are recorded in table 104. Scales 

 above lateral line 3 or 4 and 10 below to anal fin origin. 



Head 2.8 to 2.9; greatest depth 2,8 to 3.2; longest pectoral ray 4.8 

 to 5.1; snout tip to anus 1.8 to 1.9; snout to dorsal origin 2.8 to 3.0; all 

 in standard length. Snout 2.8 to 3.1; eye 4.0 to 5.0; postorbital length 

 of head 2.0; interorbital space 3.7 to 4.0; longest pectoral ray 1.7; 

 least depth of body 2.0 to 2.2; all in length of head. Ej^e in fleshy 

 interorbital space 1.2 to 1.5. 



Dorsal profile of head forming an angle of about 55 to 65 degrees 

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

 about the tenth pore of lateral line; outer rays of pel vies elongate, 

 reaching to anal origin; distal margin of caudal fin rounded. 



Color in alcohol. — Background coloration dark brown, except belly 

 and ventral part of head, which are light brown or tan; dorsal and anal 

 fins brown, edged with a white line, and with a large black ocellate 

 spot on the ninth to eleventh soft rays of both fins, these spots on 

 basal % of fins; median fins with pale spots or caudal fin brownish or 

 light brown, broadly bordered with white; paired fins white or pale; 

 pectoral fin base blackish; opercular flap with a black spot; each scale 

 with a small pale or white spot. A pale band along back from snout 

 to dorsal edge of caudal peduncle. 



Color when alive. — Both Rongerik Atoll specimens were photo- 

 graphed in color and the following description is based on the koda- 

 chromes: Dorsally, head and body purpUsh brown, belly and lower 

 part of head yellowish; each scale with a small blue spot; a light olive 

 band along middorsal line of snout, posteriorly along base of dorsal 

 fin, and ending on dorsal edge of caudal peduncle; black spot in dorsal 

 and anal fins bordered with blue; caudal fin posteriorly yellowish 

 with lighter spots. Base of pectoral fin brown; eye pinkish. 



Remarks. — The two specimens from Rongerik Atoll do not exactly 

 agree in coloration with the specimen from the Philippines nor the 

 one from Mauritius, both of which lack the pale band along the back. 

 In addition, the specimen from Mauritius has ii,12 pectoral rays 

 whereas the others have ii,ll. Bleeker's figure of A. twisti does not 

 show the pale band along the back, nor does Sauvage mention it in his 

 description of A. Jidjensis. It is possible that our two specimens 

 from the Marshall Islands represent a closely related species, but 

 there are not enough specimens to decide this now. The red opercular 



