FISHES OF THE PHOENIX AND SAMOAN ISLANDS 195 



braues attached to isthmus with a narrow free fold across it; 

 no canines at corner of upper jaw; free edge of preopercle 

 ending as it curves forward at lower corner ; head mostly 

 naked but sometimes with a patch of scales on upper part of 

 operculum ; gill rakers about 8 to 11 + H to 14 ; pectoral rays 

 usually 15 ; scales 2G to 28 ; one pair of canines at symphyses 



of upper and lower jaws Thalassoma Swainson 



8&. Dorsal spines IX. 



9a. Lateral line interrupted posteriorly, continuing again on 

 midaxis of caudal region; lower pharyngeal with a larger 

 median tooth and a tiny one at each side of it, and extending 

 forward is single anterior median row ; two pairs of canines 

 at syinphy.ses of upper and lower jaws, outer pair on upper 

 jaw curved backward ; gill membranes attached to isthmus 

 with a narrow free fold across it; strong canines at corner 

 of upper jaw ; head naked ; dorsal rays IX, 11 ; gill rakers 

 about 5 + 10; pectoral rays about 11, free edge of pre- 

 opercle ending as it curves forward at lower corner. 



Macropharyngodon Bleeker 

 9b. Lateral line not interrupted posteriorly but bent abruptly down- 

 ward on caudal region ; dorsal rays IX, 11 to 13 ; scales about 

 26 or 27. 

 10a. Canine teeth at corners of upper jaw ; two paii'S of canine 

 teeth at symphysis of upper jaw ; head naked ; gill mem- 

 branes attached to isthmus with a narrow free fold across 

 it ; gill rakers about 6 or 7 + 9 to 12 ; pectoral rays about 

 11 to 13. 

 11a. Edge of preopercle free posteriorly, but ending at lower 

 corner just as it curves forward ; lower pharyngeal 

 with a large median tooth and tiny one at each side 

 of it, and extending forward is the single anterior 

 median row; two pairs of canines at symphyses of 

 upper and lower jaw, outer pair of upper jaw recurved. 



Leptojulis Bleeker'* 

 11&. Edge of preopercle free as much posteriorly as ventrally ; 

 one pair of canines at symphysis of lower jaw, upper 

 jaw with two pairs of canines, outer row recurved. 



Halichoeres Riippell 

 105. No canine teeth at corner of upper jaw ; edge of preopercle 

 free posteriorly and for some distance ventrally ; gill mem- 

 branes attached to isthmus, without a fold or only a 

 trace of one across it ; pectoral rays 12 or 13. 

 12a. No canine teeth at symphyses of upper and lower jaws, 

 at symphysis of upper jaw a small space without teeth; 

 sides of jaws with teeth ; head naked ; gill rakers 8 



or 9 + 17 lo 19 Stethojulis Giinther 



126. One pair of canine teeth at symphyses of upper and lower 

 jaws. 

 13a. Teeth on sides of jaws ; gill rakers 7 or 8 + 18 or 19 ; 

 head naked except for patch of scales on cheeks. 



Hemigymnus Giinther 



'"* For a discuKsiou of this genus see de Beaufort, Bijdragen Diorkundf' Ultgogovcn Door 

 Het Koninklijk Zool. Genootschap., pp. 14-17, fig. 1, 1938. 



