46 BULLETIN 180, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Family MORINGUIDAE 



Genus MORINGUA J. E. Gray 



Moringua Gray, Zool. Misc., 1831, p. 9. [Tyije, designated by Bleeker, Ned. 

 Tijdschr. Dierk., vol. 2, p. 114 (2), 1865, Moringua raitaiorua Cantor 

 i=Muraena raitahorua Hamilton-Buchanan).] 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF MORINGUA COLLECTED AMONG THE PHOENIX AND 



SAMOAN ISLANDS 



la. Dorsal and anal fins with rays visible anteriorly, then they reappear near 



caudal fin, space between rays represented by a low fold or a groove where 



fold should be expected. 



2a. Pectoral fin not vestigial but about as long as or longer than snout and 



4 to 9 times in head. 



3cf. Greatest depth in total length about 52 to 60 times ; head 13 to 15 ; anus 



to anal origin 11 or 12 ; anus to dorsal origin 10 or 11. Head in distance 



from anus to tip of tail 4i/4 to 5 and depth 16 to 18 times. Pectoral 



fin 5% to 9 in head, snout 5 or 6 ; anus to anal origin 0.8 to 1.2 ; and 



eye 17 to 20 ; about 114 lateral line pores from gill opening to near tip of 



tail, incomplete ; eye in pectoral 2 and in snout 2 or 3 ; dorsal half of 



body usually blackish, ventral half pale ; margin of tail fins blackish 



Moringua bicolor Kaup 

 3&. Greatest depth in total length about 35 to 40 ; head 9 to 11 ; anus to 

 anal and dorsal origins 13 to 10. Head about 3% to 3^/^ in tail 

 (anus to tip of caudal fin), and depth 11 or 12. Pectoral fin 4 to 6 

 in head, snout 7, anus to anal origin 1.2 to 1.7; and eye about 14. 

 Eye in pectoral 3% and in snout 2. About 97 pores along lateral 



line, incomplete in latter third of tail Moring'ua macrochir Bleeker 



2&. Pectoral fin small about two to three times in snout and 14 to 20 times 

 in head ; greatest depth 48 to 50 ; head 10 to 15 ; anus to anal origin 11 to 

 14, and anus to dorsal origin 10 to 12 times, all in total length. Head 

 3 to 4% in tail, and depth 14 to 16 times. Snout G to 8 times in 

 head, eye 26 to 33, anus to anal origin % to 1%. Eye 4 or 5 in snout and 

 1 to 2 times in pectoral fin length. About 98 to 102 pores in lateral 



line, incomplete on tail. (Fig. 2, g.) Moringua microchir Bleeker 



16. Dorsal and anal fins without visible rays except as they join caudal fin, 



these fins represented by a low fold or only a groove occurs where fins 



are expected ; eyes and pectoral fins very small ; latter often vestigial. 



4o. Pectoral fin small, about 20 in head. Body more robust, its depth about 



36 to 42, head 11 or 12; anus to anal and dorsal origins about 14 times, 



all in total length. Head about 3% in tail, depth 12% times. Eye 25 



to 30 in head, snout IV:,, and anus to anal origin 1% times. Eye 4 in 



snout and 1% in pectoral fin. About 99 pores in lateral line, incomplete 



or ending at last third of tail Moringua macrocephala (Bleeker) 



46. Body slenderer, its greatest depth 46 to 90 in total length, head 13 to 16 

 times; pectoral fin vestigial, 52 to 75 or more times in the head. 

 5o. Greatest depth 70 to 90 in total length, anus to anal and dorsal origins 

 10 to 13 times. Head 4^4, greatest depth 20 limes in tail. Snout 

 7 or 8 ; eye 50 to 55, anus to anal origin '-'fj to V^ times in head. Eye 

 7 in snout and larger than pectoral fin. About 144 pores in lateral 

 line, incomplete last third of tail Moringua javanica (Kaup) 



