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



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll: 5 stations, 104 specimens, 20 to 118 mm. in standard length. 



Rongelap Atoll: 2 specimens, 89 to 104 mm. 



Eniwetok Atoll: 3 stations, 5 specimens, 47 to 98 mm. 



Rota Island: 1 lot, 1 specimen, 50 mm. 



Saipan: 2 lots, 5 specimens, 18 to 82 mm. 



Guam: 1 specimen, 24 mm. 



Description. — Dorsal rays XIII,22 to 25, rarely XIV; anal 11,23 to 

 25; pectoral 14, with lower 4 rays, and sometimes 5, thickened; 

 branched caudal 5+4; pelvics 1,3; orbital tentacle single, with cirri 

 on its edges; nasal cirri about 4 or 5; no nuchal cirrus. 



Head 4.3 to 5.2; greatest depth 5.1 to 5.3; longest pectoral ray 4.9 

 to 5.6; snout tip to anus, 2.4 to 2.5; anal fin base 1.9 to 2.1; all in 

 standard length. Eye 3.7 to 4.5; snout 2.7 to 2.8; postorbital length 

 of head 1.4 to 1.5; greatest depth of body 1.1 to 1.2; least depth 2.4 to 

 2.8; longest dorsal spine 1.0 to 1.1; all in length of head. Fleshy 

 interorbital space 2.0 to 2.1 in eye. 



Orbital tentacle single, thin, very broad, its length about IK to 2 

 times its greatest width, usually the edges have several short cirri; 

 length of orbital tentacle about equal to eye diameter or little shorter; 

 no nuchal cirrus; nasal chri short; snout profile with a backward slant 

 from the vertical of about 10 to 15 degrees; edge of upper lip crenulate, 

 lower lip smooth; lateral line arched over pectoral, ending at mid- 

 lengthmse axis over anus; vertical line through dorsal origin passes 

 a little behind bases of pelvic fins; dorsal fin with a deep notch over 

 last dorsal spine; a membrane attaching last dorsal ray with upper 

 edge of caudal fin base ; anal origin under base of second or third from 

 last dorsal spine; last anal ray without membrane attaching it to 

 caudal peduncle; pectoral fins not quite reachmg to anus; anal spines 

 small, partly embedded in females; and first anal rays of adult males 

 not swollen at tips; no posterior canines on lower jaw; teeth fine, 

 numerous, movable, of equal size in both jaws; distal margin of caudal 

 fin roimded; cephalic crest of males very well developed, its height 

 often more than !){ eye diameter. 



Color in alcohol. — Background coloration light tan to brown; sides 

 with distmct dark brown to blackish lengthwise parallel lines, or Imes 

 may be obsolete, but always there are traces of them on caudal 

 peduncle as a few to many black specks, they may be irregular and 

 sometimes interconnect dorsally or run obliquely toward dorsal fin 

 base; sides of head plain or with some vertical dark streaks; some- 

 times 6 or 7 vertical dark double bars occur on sides of body; dorsal, 

 anal, and caudal fins dusky, the dorsal fin with numerous transverse 

 whitish and dark lines or streaks; pectoral base dusky with a vertical 

 whitish bar. 



