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



The absence of fine scales on the gill membranes of small specimens, 

 may indicate that these scales have not yet formed. Because of 

 that possibility I have not placed as much value on that scale charac- 

 ter as I did in 1943. Smith (Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 12, vol. 4, 

 pp. 625-652, figs. 1-3, 1951 ), in his revision of the fishes of this family 

 occurring in the Western Indian Ocean, attaches too much value to 

 the scaly gill membranes; his Cirrhitus mossambicus, for example, 

 lacks such scales and it was based on 2 specimens 32 and 52 mm. 

 in total length, about the same size as my types of Cirrhitops hubbardi 

 (Schultz) which also lacked such scales, Gymnocirrhites arcatus lacks 

 scales on the gill membranes at 48 mm. but at 100 mm. in standard 

 length they are well developed. 



Counts are recorded in table 106 for the genera and species of 

 Cirrhitidae. 



KEY TO THE GENERA OF THE CIRRHITIDAE 



la. Scales ctenoid, about 33 to 36 from upper edge of gill opening to base of 

 caudal fin; dorsal rays X,15 to 19; anal 111,7; jaws with a few canines; 

 bases of median fins scaly. 

 2a. Dorsal rays X,15; scales 33 or 34; upper jaw with a pair of canines, none 



on lower jaw Isobuna *^ Jordan 



2b. Dorsal rays X,19; scales 36; lower jaw with a pair of canines, none on 



upper jaw Serranocirrhitus *" Watanabe 



16. Scales cycloid. 



3a. Head acutely pointed, anterior profile of head forming an angle of about 

 20 to 25 degrees; dorsal rays X,13 with 1 or 2 cirri on membrane 

 behind tip of each spine; anal 111,7; pectoral 1 or ii,7,v or vi; 3 rows of 

 enlarged scales on cheek; premaxillaries with 2 rows of minute teeth 

 anteriorly along inner edges of middorsal line; gill membranes over 

 isthmus naked; no palatine teeth; upper lip with broad lobe oiiposite 

 front of premaxillaries; no scales on mandible; no canine teeth. 



Oxycirrhites ^' Bleeker 



3b. Head not so acutely pointed, anterior profile of head forming an angle of 



40 to SO degrees; anal rays 111,6; no teeth in a backwardly extending 



row inside of mouth along middorsal line of premaxillary. 



4a. Anterior profile of head forming an angle of 40 to 60 degrees; pectoral 



fin rays i,7,v or l,8,v; dorsal rays X,ll or 12, with a tuft of cirri on dennal 



membrane behind tip of each spine; scales on mandible and on gill 



membranes over isthmus; 4 to 7 rows of enlarged scales on cheek, 



usually bordered above and below by some minute ones. 



Cirrhitoidea Jenkins 



»» Isobuna Jordan in Jordan and Herre, Proc. V. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 33, p. 158, 1907 (type species. Para- 

 cirrhites japonic us Stcindachner and Doderlcin); Smith, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 12, vol. 4, p. 626, 1951, 

 Paracirrhiteg Stcindachner and Doderlein (not of Bleeker), Denkschr. Acad, Wiss. Wein, vol. 48, p. 25, 



1883 (type species, P. japonicus Stcindachner and Doderlein, preoccupied by Paracirrhites Bleeker). 



M Serranocirrhitus Watanabe, Bull. Biogeogr. Soc. Japan, vol. 14, No. 2, p. 17, fig. 2, 1949 (type species, 

 Serranocirrhitus lalus W^atanabe; from oil Itom.an, Okinawa-Honto). 



«i Oxycirrhites Bleeker, Act. Soc. Sci. Indo-N6erl., vol. 2, p. 39, 1857 (type species, U. typus Bleeker). 



Two other species referable to this genus are O. morrisi Fowler (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 

 1933, vol. 85, p. 359, Jan. 20, 1934, holotype USNM 93172, Palawan, P. I.) and 0. seftoni Bohlke and Briggs 

 (California Fish and Game, vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 375-380, figs. 1-3. 1953, off Palmilla Point. Baja California). 



