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



few caninelike teeth; similar conical teeth in a band on palatines with 

 a few a little larger than others; vomer with 2 to 4 enlarged canine 

 teeth hooked posteriorly; first three gill rakers on lower limb of first 

 gill arch notably elongate, others short; pectoral fin present, 2.5 to 

 2.7 in head and 1.5 to 1.8 in postorbital length of head; a strong 

 pungent opercular spine embedded in flesh of operculum. 



In addition to the 3 Marshall Island specimens described above, 

 Brock sent the U. S. National Museum 4 specimens from Koko 

 Head, Oahu Island, taken from Culcita novaguineae, ranging in total 

 length from 70 to 118 mm. These specimens appear to be more 

 robust, as indicated by the proportions for the three largest, ranging 

 from 86.8 to 118 mm. in total length: Head 6.5 to 6.8, depth 9.7 to 

 10.3, both in total length; eye 5.6 to 6.2 pectoral fin 2.1 to 2.6, depth 

 1.5 to 1.6 aU in length of head; eye 3.3 to 4.0, pectoral 1.3 to 1.7, 

 greatest depth 0.67 to 0.96, all in postorbital length of head. 



Color in alcohol. — Background color pale, with dorsal surfaces of 

 head and body with brownish pigment spots, these also occurring 

 on sides posteriorly and on cheeks and underside of lower jaw. Peri- 

 toneum silvery with numerous, crowded tiny black pigment spots. 



Color when alive. — Color notes recorded for a specimen from station 

 S-46-476, placed in a glass jar: Generally transparent, circulatory 

 system red; tail with red spots; sides of abdomen irridescent; small 

 blackish pigment spots on back, cheeks, under eye, on snout and 

 chin, and posteriorly on sides; dorsal surface of eye pinkish. Peri- 

 toneum black. 



Ecology. — The pearlfishes listed above (from stations S-46-403; 

 476; and 1041) were removed from the body cavity of the armless 

 starfish, Culcita novaguineae. Among those starfishes brought to the 

 surface by Brock, fewer than half had a pearlfish in their body cavity. 

 These specimens of Culcita measured about 8 inches in diameter. 



Remarks. — The identification of our material as C. mourlani Petit 

 was done with considerable uncertainty. It is clear, however, that 

 the Marshall Islands specunens are distinct from those herein re- 

 corded as homei. We believe that, as more is learned about each 

 species of Carapus, it is probable they will be found to inhabit a 

 certain genus of invertebrate animal. Much of the difficulty en- 

 countered in identifying species of Carapus lies in the abbreviated 

 descriptions and lack of knowledge of the hosts from which the 

 specimens were taken. Thus, no fewer than 24 names are available 

 for species probably referable to the genus Carapus in the Pacific 

 and Indian Oceans. 



We note that only Oxyheles lumbricoides Bleeker (Nat. Tijdschr. 

 Nederl.-Indie, vol. 7, pp. 162-163, 1854; Ceram, probably from 

 Culcita) has been taken from the armless starfish Culcita. Bleeker's 



