FISHES OF THE PHOENIX AND SAMOAN ISLANDS 209 



caudal fin rays ; in young 1% inches and smaller a tiny black spot 

 near midliase of caudal fin rays, but no black spots in dorsal fin ; 

 these young specimens with three rows of black specks (one speck 

 on each scale) on sides of belly; adults with chin and cheeks pale 

 this area bordered below eye with a blue streak that curves down- 

 ward along posterior margin of operculum and forward on gill 

 membranes ; under pectoral a blue or blackish streak runs obliquely 

 to belly under pelvics ; eye pale ; posteriorly on each scale dark 

 pigment (blue in life), intensified near middle of sides of body; 

 anal with a pale streak near its base; dorsal with two or three 

 narrow pale streaks ; blue color markings absent or obscure in young 

 less than 3 inches in total length ; dorsally base of pectoral fin black. 

 Halichoeres trimaculatus (Quoyand Gaimard) 

 36. No blackish spot at base of caudal fin or on sides of caudal peduncle ; 

 caudal i)eduncle plain, with bars or with blotches but not as in 3a. 

 5a. A white spot on body at base of spiny dorsal between third to fifth 

 spines, then abruptly blackish, with a second pale area on body 

 at base of fourth to sixth soft rays; all fins pale (white in alcohol) 

 except basal half of dorsals between white spots which is blackish, 

 near middle of each scale above and below its center a pair of black 

 spots connected with paler pigment ; under side of body plain pale ; 

 head with white streak from eye to tip of snout ; three streaks 

 radiating from eye posteriorly ; one across cheek considerably below 

 eye from below mouth to opercle ; shoulder under edge of operculum 

 with white streak. Color in life from notes taken on a specimen 

 from Rose Island lagoon ; body light gray with two bright dark 

 blue spots on each scale in upper sides; bright yellow area at 

 middle of base of spiny dorsal followed by a black blotch ; soft 

 dorsal yellowish with mottlings of brick red; bright lemon-yellow 

 spot on body at middle of soft dorsal ; wavy orange lines on head ; 

 orange spots near occiput ; tail orange, spots yellow. 



Halichoeres centriquadrus (LacepMe) 

 5b. Color not as in 5a.. 

 6a. Body with three wide brownish bars, one across head, one through 

 middle of dorsals, the last across caudal peduncle; bar on head 

 broken with a wide pale band from mouth past lower part of eye 

 to above upper edge of pectoral base; interorbital space pale, 

 then two black spots forward on top of head, and a median one 

 Just behind tip of snout; pectoral, caudal, and pelvic fins mostly 

 pale; front of dorsal with a black spot; in brownish part of 

 dorsal fin (where middle bar of body extends on it) an ocellated 

 brownish blotch near middle of fin. 



Halichoeres notophthalmus (Bleeker) 

 6&. Color not as in 6a, 



7a. A large black spot between the first and third soft dc^rsal rays; 

 dorsal edge of pectoral base pale; sides of body with areas of 

 black W-shaped markings sometimes occupying entire upper 

 sides of body; opercle with a black blotch on posterior upper 

 angle; a pale band from front of eye to snout bordered 

 above and below with black (blue in life) bands; wide pale 

 band across cheek below eye, then a (blue) blackish narrower 

 band, lower part of head pale; upper side of snout with a 

 V-shaped blackish mark; above eyes two more irregular black 

 marks or spots, from behind eye two black bands radiate one 



