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



its height about half length of its base, females lack any trace of 

 cephalic crest. 



Color in alcohol. — Background coloration light tan or gray; sides 

 with 6 or 7 double bars; base of caudal fin with a small dusky spot; 

 upper sides sometimes with scattered brownish specks; a small dusky 

 spot on membrane between first two dorsal spines; soft dorsal fin with 

 obUque dusky streaks extending distally from basal dark spots corre- 

 sponding with vertical dark bars; anal dusky, snout and sides of head 

 with 4 pair of vertical light dusky bars, margined with darker edges; 

 underside of head often with 3 V-shaped narrow dusky streaks that 

 do not meet in midventral line, interspaces white, tip of chin some- 

 tunes dusky; adult males usually plain dusky on underside of head 

 and vertical streaks usually replaced by plain dusky. 



Figure 127. — Praeahicus amboinensis tanegasimae (Jordan and Starks), holotype, USNM 

 5327i, after Jordan and Starks. 



Remarks. — This new subspecies is closest to amboinensis and is re- 

 lated to tanegasimae of Japan. It is distinguished from its close rela- 

 tives by the following key : 



la. Orbital tentacle broad, thin, ribbonlike, edges with minute cirri, with 2 to 3 

 minute cirri forming the distal end or tip. 

 2a. Adult females with a low dermal ridge representing the cephalic crest; 

 underside of head usually plain dusky, rarely, even on young females, 

 with indications of V-shaped dusky streaks; adult males with plain 

 dusky heads and front of snout rarely showing dusky bars; figure 127. 

 (Japan and Okinawa.) 



P. amboinensis tanegasimae (Jordan and Starks) 



26. No iudication of cephalic ridge or crest on adult females; underside of head 



usually with 3 pairs of V-shaped dusky streaks not meeting along 



midventral line; adult males usually with plain dusky heads; and 



front of snout may show dusky bars. (East Indies, Philippines.) 



P. amboinensis amboinensis (Bleeker) 

 lb. Orbital tentacle broad, thin ribbonlike, edges with minute cirri, distal end 

 or tip tapering to a simple point; no indication of cephalic crest on adult 

 females; underside of head usually with 3 pairs of V-shaped dusky 

 streaks; adult males usually with plain dusky heads; ventrally and 

 front of snout may show dusky bars. (Marianas Islands.) 



P. amboinensis litteratus, new subspecies 



