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



Genus PETROSCIRTES Ruppell 



Petroscirtes Ruppell, Atlas zu der Reise im nordlichen Afrika . . ., Fische des 

 rothen Meers, vol. 4, p. 110, 1828 (type species, Petroscirtes mitratus Ruppell). 



PETROSCIRTES MITRATUS Ruppell 



Plate 120, A 



Petroscirtes mitratus RtJPPELL, Atlas zu der Reise ira nordlichen Afrika . . ., 

 Fische des rothen Meers, vol. 4, p. Ill, pi. 28, fig. 1, 1828 (type locality. 

 Red Sea). 



SPECIMEN STUDIED 



Eniwetok Atoll, Ebiririi Island, August 8, 1949, Univ. of Washington, 1 speci- 

 men, 27 mm. standard length. 



Description. — Dorsal rays XI, 14; anal 11,14; pectoral 14-14, pelvics 

 1,3-1,3, no branched caudal rays; underside of head with two pairs 

 of broad thin dermal cu-ri; teeth in jaws about 32 above and 32 below; 

 gill opening does not extend down in front of any of the pectoral ra3^s; 

 eye with a dermal cirrus; other dermal cutI on rim of bony orbit. 



Head 3.2; greatest depth 3.8; longest pectoral ray 4.8; snout tip to 

 anus 1.8; all in standard length. Eye 2.7; snout 3.4; postorbital 

 part of head 2.3; least depth of body 2.6; greatest depth 1,25; length 

 from snout tip to rear of mouth, or rictus 4.0; width of gill opening 

 6.5; longest dorsal spine (second) 1.5; all in length of head. Bony 

 interorbital space in eye 2.7. Eye in snout 0.8. 



Lips without folds; canines in both jaws greatly enlarged; teeth 

 of jaws firm, immovable, of equal size in both jaws; dentigerous edge 

 of both jaws transversely rounded; mouth subterminal, snout scarcely 

 in front of toothed part of upper jaw; anterior nostrils tubular, 

 posterior nostrils in a raised rim; distance between pair on each side 

 contained about 10 times in eye; rear nasal pore a little in front of 

 a vertical line at front of eye; vertical line through dorsal origin 

 passes about one-half a pupil diameter behind eye; eighth or ninth 

 pectoral ray from dorsal edge longest; gill opening not quite as wide 

 as pupil of eye, not extending below dorsal edge of pectoral fin base; 

 first and second dorsal rays a little longer than fourth or fifth; last 

 ray of both dorsal and anal fins membranously attached to caudal 

 peduncle; lateral line present, incomplete, ending a little in front of 

 a vertical line through first soft dorsal ray. 



Color in alcohol. — Background coloration light dusky, with some 

 whitish blotches dorsaUy; dorsal fin with indications of about 6 

 dusky bars; a few dusky spots on base of pectoral; at base of outer 

 or fu'st pelvic ray is a dusky spot; dermal cirri dusky. 



Remarks. — Additional counts were made on 5 specimens of P. 

 mitratus from the Philippine Islands as follows: Dorsal rays XI, 15; 

 XII,14; XI,15; XI,15; and XII,13. Anal 11,16; 11,14; 11,15; 11,15; 



