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



canine tooth present on each side of lower jaw; teeth in both jaws 

 very numerous, of about equal size, and movable; fifth or sixth pectoral 

 ray from lowermost edge of fin longest; distal edge of caudal fin a little 

 rounded. 



Color in alcohol. — Background color brown to blackish; vertical 

 fins dark and unmarked except for anterodorsal part of the spinous 

 dorsal, the distal tips of the first few soft dorsal rays, and the upper 

 lobe of the caudal, which may be pale or whitish; anal somewhat 

 darker than body or other fins, pel vies dusky, pectorals dusky ven- 

 trally, paler dorsally. 



The color pattern changes with size as follows: The smallest speci- 

 men available (35.8 mm. in standard length) has the background 

 color brown, with the cheeks, opercles, and sides of the body pos- 

 teriorly to the tip of the depressed pectoral overlaid wath round pale 

 spots about the size of the pupil. Posterior to the pectoral tips these 

 spots are enlarged so much that the surrounding brown areas have the 

 appearance of irregular lines on a pale background. The vertical fins 

 of this specimen are pale brown basally becoming almost transparent 

 in their distal half to two-thirds. The spinous dorsal is marked with 

 a dusky lengthwise stripe along its basal third; this demarks the 

 distal pale area mentioned above. 



In specimens above 40 mm. in standard length the characteristic, 

 although somewhat variable, adult color pattern has been attained. 

 The roundish pupil-sized pale spots are much more distinct, sometimes 

 they are enclosed in reticulated brown lines that resemble a honey- 

 comb, and sometimes the brown pigment is so extensive that the spots 

 appear to be on a dark background. The nuchal fringe consists of 

 black cirri with a swollen, very blackish basal area laterally. 



The distribution of the spots and other markings varies with sex as 

 follows : 



Males: Spots on preorbitals and suborbitals, cheeks, opercles, 

 entire under side of head and throat, and extending posteriorly on the 

 pectoral bases. The posterior one-half to two-thirds of the sides of 

 the body are covered with numerous white markings that may vary 

 from round white dots or small spots to elongate ones or white lines 

 that extend vertically, horizontally or obliquely; some of these lines 

 may run together. There may be a few blackish pupil-sized dots or 

 irregular markings on the sides of the caudal peduncle. The dermal 

 pads on the anal spines of males are grayish to blackish. 



Females: Pale spots as in males; these may extend as far pos- 

 teriorly as the fifth or sixth dorsal soft ray. Posterior to this the spots 

 give way to plain dark color or there may be irregular blackish dots or 

 short lines on a dark background. 



