FAMILY LABRIDAE — SCHULTZ 223 



Young between lengths of 42 to 113 mm. differ from those about 100 

 mm. and longer in having the head blue spotted, these brown-bordered 

 spots occur in the places where, at larger sizes, they become elongated 

 and at about 93 mm. form the blue streaks. At a length of 63 mm. the 

 only blue streak completely formed occurs on anterodorsal edge of 

 eye; the caudal fin usually has a pale area basally then distally it may 

 be dark brown, with a broad white edge posteriorly. 



Two specimens, one from Bock Island, Rongerik Atoll, and one from 

 Bikini, both collected by the University of Washington, have a broad 

 pale bar across the caudal fin basally sharply contrasting with dark 

 brown posteriorly, the distal fourth to third of caudal fin is white. 



Color when alive. — Background coloration purplish brown, all spots 

 and streaks are bright blue. 



Ecology. — This species is uncommon in the intertidal zone of the 

 reef but was observed more frequently in the lagoon in deeper water. 



Genus HALICHOERES Riippell 



Halichoeres Ruppell, Neue Wirbelthiere zu der Fauna von Abysinnien gehorig, 

 Fische, p. 14, 1835 (type species, Halichoeres bimaculatus Ruppell). 



This genus as currently recognized contains a large number of 

 species, some of which are ill-defined. Among those studied by me, 

 small differences in the number of fin rays occur among some of the 

 species as recorded in table 105. Careful attention to color pattern 

 indicates that it is of much importance in the recognition of species, 

 however, one must be cautious in regard to coloration since there 

 may be considerable difference between mature males and mature 

 females. The small young of each species of Halichoeres may have a 

 color pattern strikingly different from that of the adults of the same 

 species such as in H. hortulanus. It was observed in a few species 

 that the black ocellate spot between soft dorsal rays 1 to 5 may dis- 

 appear on the adults. The presence of a black spot or 2 black spots 

 on caudal peduncle is highly irregular in certain species. 



The following characters are useful in recognizing this genus: 

 Dorsal rays IX (rarely X),ll to 13; anal 111,10 to 13; pectoral ii,10 

 to 13 ; branched caudal fin rays 6+6 ; pores in lateral line 19 or 20+2-|- 

 5 or 6 ; usually 3 rows of scales above lateral line and 8 or 9 below it to 

 anal origin; giU rakers usually about 6 or 7+1 + 10 to 12 on first arch; 

 body strongly compressed. Snout normal; dorsal profile convex; 

 interorbital space convex ; nostrils minute, anterior pair tubular, short ; 

 jaws terminal, equal or nearly so; teeth short, conical, uniserial, 

 anterior middle pair in both jaws enlarged pointing obliquely forward 

 (sometimes on upper jaw 2 pairs are enlarged) lower pair fitting 

 between upper pair when mouth is closed; preopercular margin free 



