364 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 202 Vol. 2 



190; longest caudal ray 229 and 238; snout to anus 608 and 556; 

 snout tip to dorsal origin 313 and 328; length of anal base 294 and 360. 



Head 3.0 to 3.2; greatest depths 3.4 to 3.7; longest pectoral ray 3.1 

 to 3.3; snout tip to anus 1.6 to 1.8; anal fin base 2.8 to 2.9; all in stand- 

 ard length. Eye 3.0 to 3.1; snout 2.4 to 2.5; postorbital length of 

 head 1.9 to 2.0; greatest depth of body 1.1 to 1.2, least depth 2.9 to 

 3.0; longest pectoral ray 1.0 to 1.1, longest dorsal spine 1.8 to 2.0; 

 all in length of head. Fleshy interorbital space 2.2 to 2.5 in eye. 



Orbital tentacle absent; nuchal cirrus on each side single, simple, 

 short; nasal cirrus single short oblong dermal flap on each side; 

 snout profile a little rounded, nearly vertical or Vv ith a slight forward 

 slant; edge of upper lip smooth except for a single shallow notch 

 at midanterior end; lower lip smooth edged; lateral line arched 

 over pectoral fin, then descending to midlengthwise axis and ending 

 about opposite middle of length of anal fin base; vertical line through 

 dorsal origin passes just behind pelvic bases; dorsal fin with a deep 

 notch over last dorsal spine; membrane behind last soft dorsal ray 

 attached to upper edge of caudal peduncle; anal origin under base 

 of third from last dorsal spine; last anal ray without membranous 

 attachment posteriorly; pectoral fins reaching a little past anus; anal 

 spines of females small, first embedded, those of adult males with 

 enlarged convoluted tips; posterior canines on lower jaw distinct, 

 rather long for such a small species; teeth fine, numerous, movable, 

 of equal size in both jaws ; vomer w ithout teeth ; distal margin of caudal 

 fin truncate; no cephalic crest. 



Color in alcohol. — Background coloration whitish or light tan, with 

 scattered small blackish pigment cells dorsally and anteriorly on body ; 

 underside of head with a V-shaped dark streak touching mouth a 

 little in front of its rear corner; upper part of gill cover with a darkish 

 spot, continuing ventrally as a light dusky streak across gill membranes 

 but not quite meeting its fellow from other side; front of snout with 

 a light dusky median streak, then below eye another light dusky 

 streak, a third from rear of eye, all continuing and on upper lip; 

 dorsal and caudal fins of males barred, those of females unpigmented; 

 anal fin of males dusky distally, with tips of rays white; anal fin of 

 female with a median row of smaU dusky spots on membranes; base 

 of pectoral of males plain pale, with a narrow light dusky streak at 

 base of rays and some more dark pigment anteroventrally. 



Ecology. — This species occurs along the edges of the reefs in areas 

 where the surf breaks, and especially in the Lithothamnium ridge, a 

 habitat also occupied by species of Cirripectes and certain species of 

 Entomacrodus. Our specimens are all adults and the females contain 

 rather large pinkish eggs for such a small species. 



