FAMILY CIRRHITIDAE — SCHULTZ 263 



ray longest ; posterior margin of caudal fin a little rounded; pre- 

 opercular edge finely denticulate. 



Color in a/coAoZ.— Background color brownish, interrupted above 

 midaxis by a wide whitish band beginning just above lateral line below 

 base of fifth or sixth dorsal spine and ending at base of caudal fin, 

 dorsal part of caudal fin white, lower three-fourths dusky; all other 

 fins dusky; behind eye a white dark edged V-shaped fine, not quite 

 completely broken posteriorly; 3 short black-edged white bars on lower 

 margin of opercle and subopercle, sometimes broken into spots; mid- 

 ventral double-edged gill membranes over isthmus black-edged; inner 

 ventral edges of lower jaws and opercular apparatus dusky edged. 



There are two color patterns, the one described above and the fol- 

 loAving dark brown or blacldsh one: Background color dark brown with 

 pale streaks following each scale row; no white streak dorsally on body; 

 the pale blotches outlined in white, then black-edged occurring the 

 same in both color phases. 



Color when alive. — The white band is translucent pinkish orange; 

 lower half of head and body pastel purphsh orange, with brownish 

 tinge; caudal fin pale olive-brown, with orange tinge on upper rays; 

 eye brighter orange, with a red, V-shaped line behind eye, outer margin 

 of red fine black bordered ; 3 short black-bordered red bars on lower 

 part of opercular apparatus; basal two-thirds of dorsal fin orange. 



Ecology. — This moderately common species was most abundant in 

 those parts of the reefs where the wave action was strong and where 

 coral growth was abundant. 



Remarks.' — Cirrhites amblycephalus Bleeker is a synonym of this 



species. 



Genus PARACIRRHITES Bleeker 



Paracirr kites Bleeker, Verh. Akad. Wet. Amsterdam, vol. 15, (2), 2, 5, p. 93, 



1875 (type species, Cirrhitus forstcri Bloch). 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF PARACIRRHITES FROM THE MARSHALL ISLANDS 



la. Background color whitish below, light brown dorsally ; a light brown streak on 



body along dorsal base, below which is a broad dark brown band, more 



intense posteriorly, blackish on upper side of caudal peduncle; caudal 



fin pale; head, base of pectoral, and isthmus with numerous scattered 



small dark brown or blackish spots; no spots on body behind pectoral 



and pelvic bases P. f orsteri (Bloch and Schneider) 



16. Color pattern not as in It'. 



2a. Background color whitish or pale, upper half of body darker than ventral 

 half; along mid-axis of body from behind head a wide white band, 

 becoming faint and disappearing on caudal peduncle; upper half of 

 body with numerous roundish black spots and only a few indistinct 

 ones below white band; caudal fin whitish; (female). 



P. hemistictus (Giinther) 



422142—60 18 



