224 BULLETIN 10 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 1, 1895, p. 181 (Amboyna). — Weber, Siboga Exp., 



vol. 57, Fische, 1913, p. 199 (Saleyer). 

 Petrometopon cyanostigma Fowler, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, ser. 



2, vol. 12, 1904, p. 521 (Padang, Sumatra). 

 Epinephelus argus (not Schneider) Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. Ind. Neerland., 



vol. 7, 1873-76, pi. (42) 320, fig.3. 



Depth 2% to 3; head 2% to 2y 2 , width 2}/ 3 to 2%. Snout 4 to 

 4)4 in head from snout tip; eye 4% to 7, \% to 1% in snout, greater 

 than interorbital in young to l}i with age; maxillary reaches beyond 

 eye, expansion 1^ in eye in young to little greater than eye diameter 

 m adult, length l 7 /g to 2 T V in head from snout tip; teeth fine, conic, 

 in bands in jaws; wide set pair of canines above, often double; outer 

 maxillary row of teeth slightly enlarged and inner front teeth longest 

 and hinged; mandibular teeth with inner row longest, hinged, resolv- 

 ing into 3 rows on sides of jaws, front canines small and often double; 

 bands of small teeth on vomer and palatines, none on tongue; nostrils 

 subequal or hind one but little larger; interorbital 6}4 to 7%, slightly 

 convex; hind preopercle edge minutely serrated, serrae often obsolete 

 with age; opercular spines 3, lower most advanced and closer to 

 median. Gill rakers 12 + 20, lanceolate, longer than gill filaments or 

 l 1 ^ in eye; 10 above and below rudimentary. 



Scales 85 to 97 in lateral line to caudal base and 13 to 15 more on 

 latter; tubes 45 to 56 in lateral line to caudal base and 4 to 8 more 

 on latter; 21 to 23 scales above lateral line, 25 to 31 below, 70 to 73 

 predorsal, 30 to 35 rows across cheek to preopercle angle; upper half 

 of maxillary expansion scaly, with 13 transverse series of small scales; 

 body scales without auxiliary small basal scales; fins all covered 

 basally with small scales, especially soft vertical fins. Scales with 6 

 to 9 basal radiating striae; 28 to 30 apical denticles with 3 or 4 trans- 

 verse series of basal elements; circuli moderately small. 



D. IX, 16, i, or 15, i, third spine S}4 to 3% in total head length, 

 twelfth ray 2% to 2%; A. Ill, 8, i or 9, i, second spine 2% to 3J4 

 sixth ray 2 to 2>£; caudal \% to \%, convexly rounded behind; 

 least depth of caudal peduncle 2% to 3}i) pectoral 1)4. to \%; 

 ventral \% to 2. 



In alcohol dark brown generally, with small dusky brown to black- 

 ish ocellated rings, center of each blue gray dot or very small spot, 

 with age larger, more sparse and more distinct or contrasted on breast 

 and belly. In many alcoholic examples dark rings fade and leave 

 only gray spots. These spots extend over all fins as well, except on 

 pectoral they do not reach quite its margin or outer half of fin yellowish 

 and its edge narrowly blackish. Iris brown. Body with 6 dark 

 underlaid or obscure transverse reticulated dark bands, wide as 

 interspaces and most distinct in young. 



Known only from the East Indies, Bleeker having 13 examples 160 

 to 350 mm. long, though our largest much smaller. 



