250 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 02 Vol. 2 



the ventral row; usually ii,12 pectoral rays; whitish teeth; and a plain 

 brownish or grayish background coloration with usually 3 pale 

 streaks, one on each scale now of belly. There is no black spot at 

 base of pectoral fin. 



Subfamily Sparisomatinae 



This subfamily is characterized by having the teeth incompletely 

 coalesced into 4 plates, sometimes with pointed incisorhke teeth 

 extemall}^ on the platelike structm-es; one row of scales with 2 to 4 

 scales on the cheek below eye; upper pharyngeal bones each with 

 3 rows of teeth; lower pharyngeal bone with dentigcrous surface 

 notably broader than long; number of teeth in middle rows of lower 

 pharyngeals vary from 6 to 7, counting all rudiments; anterior nostril 

 with a distinct cirrus, or dermal flap; lateral Hne interrupted below 

 rear end of base of dorsal fin, than beginning again one row lower 

 and continuing along midside of caudal peduncle; gill rakers 2 or 

 3 + 1 + 6 to 12; pectoral ra3^s normally ii,ll; dorsal spines flexible 

 or pungent; median predorsal scales 4; abdominal vertebrae 9, 

 caudal 16, always totahng 25. 



Genus CALOTOMUS Gilbert 



Calotomus Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Miis., vol. 13, p. 70, 1890 (type species, 

 C. xenodon Gilbert). 



CALOTOMUS SPINIDENS (Quoy and Gaimard) 



Plates 108,C; 109,C 



Scarus spinidens Quot and Gaimard, Voyage autour du monde . . . sur . . . 

 VUranie et la Physicienne, Zoologie, p. 289, 1824 (type locality, Vaigiou). 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll: 10 stations, 13 specimens, 56 to 162 mm. in standard length. 



Rongerik Atoll: 1 station, 1 specimen, 118 mm. 



Eniwetok Atoll: 1 station, 1 specimen, 142 mm. 



Rongelap Atoll: 5 stations, 10 specimens, 65 to 142 mm. 



Arno Atoll: 1 lot, 4 specimens, 54 to 77 mm. 



Guam: 1 lot, 1 specimen, 42 mm. 



Saipan: 1 lot, 1 specimen, 159 mm. 



Ecology. — This species is commonly taken on the reefs, but never 

 abundantly. It feeds on coralline algae and corals; what appear to 

 be mature eggs occur in specimens as short as 150 mm. 



Remarks. — This species is characterized by having the background 

 mottled gray and brown; fins grayish; radiating from eye are bands, 

 two of which are more prominent, that extend from below eye to 

 rear of mouth; snout more or less crossbarred; the color around the 



