FISHES OF THE PHOENIX AND SAMOAN ISLANDS 29 



Description. — (Ba.scd on the holotype and 12 paratypes. Detailed 

 measurements of tlie holotype and 3 paratypes in parentheses are given 

 in millimeters. Proportional measurements are given in the key, 

 p. 25.) Total length 158 mm (102, 166; 155) ; length of head 22 nrni 

 (12; 22.2; 21) ; length of snout 3.3 (1.9; 3.8; 3.5) ; diameter of eye 2.2 

 (1.2; 2.0; 1.8) ; length from tip of snout to rear corner of mouth where 

 upper and lower jaws meet 7.2 (5; 8; 7.2) ; least width of fleshy inter- 

 orbital space 2.9 (1.4; 2,9; 2.7) ; greatest depth of body 7.8 (4.5; 8.2; 

 8.0) ; greatest width or thickness of body 5 (3; 5.5; 5) ; distance from 

 snout to anus 77 (50.5 ; 81 ; 75) ; length of tail 81 (51.5 ; 85 ; 80) ; length 

 of middle rays of caudal fin 1.1 (0.7; 1,5; 1.5) ; the width of the space 

 between the pair of nasal openings over each eye 0.3 mm (0.1; 0.5; 

 0.4). 



One paratype has 103 vertebrae. 



The teeth on lower jaw are in tv»o series, an outer row of small 

 ones and an inner row of larger can.ines that extend almost as far 

 back as the outer row; the upper jaw has similar teeth in two rows, 

 the inner row extending back almost as far as the outer; anteriorly 

 there are tliree irregular rows of canines inside the smaller outer 

 row ; the teeth on the vomer are uniserial. 



Anterior pair of nostrils tubular, near the bases of which are three 

 pairs of pores; another pair of pores on top of snout about an eye's 

 diameter behind tip of snout; above rear half of each eye is the 

 posterior nostril, with a small pore about the diameter of the nasal 

 opening forward and a little toAvard the mid-line. Three pores along 

 side of upper jaw behind those on front of snout; six pairs of pores 

 on lower jaw; gill opening in line with or below the opening of 

 the mouth. 



Color pattern consisting of a network of reticulated wide blackish 

 or brown lines, which arrange themselves more or less into irregular 

 vertical bars, usually more obvious posteriorly, on a pale or very 

 light brown background; underside of head plain pale; in some 

 specimens the reticulations extend on sides of lower jaw; on some 

 of the smaller specimens occur small pale specks posteriorly. Front 

 margin of eye with black pigment. 



Remarks. — This new species differs from all other eels in the genus 

 Uroj)terygms in the pair of openings over each eye separated by skin 

 as wide as or wider than the diameter of the posterior nasal opening, 

 in combination with the color pattern and low position of the gill 

 opening. 



Named cantonensis after Canton Island, Avliere it was collected. 



