212 BULLETIN 180, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Table 23. — Counts made on various species of Stethojulis 



Stethojulis GiJNTHEai, Ann 

 strigiventer Bennett.) 



Genus STETHOJULIS Gunther 



Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. 8, p. 386, 1861. 



(Type, Julis 



KEY TO THE SPECIES STETHOJULIS FROM THE PHOENIX AND SAMOAN 

 ISLANDS BASED ON SPECIMENS IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM WITH THE EXCEP- 

 TION OF S. RENARDI (for counts see table 23) 



la. Lower sides of body (below midaxis) with three or four rows of blackish or 

 brownish spots, these spots near center of each scale ; in young these spots 

 less prominent and a blackish spot at midbase of caudal fin ; a narrow pale 

 streak across head from middle of side of upper lip past lower edge of eye 

 to level of upper edge of pectoral base ; general ground color above midaxis 

 of body brownish, either plain in color or with numerous tiny white spots 

 • arranged in 14 or 15 lengthwise rows on body, head finely white spotted 

 above pale streak or plain brownish; lips pale; dorsal fin finely barred; 



other fins plain pale Stethojulis phekadepleura (Bleeker) 



16. Lower half of body without dark spots arranged in three or four rows. 

 2a. Midaxis of cadual peduncle with two or three pale-bordered black spots, 

 these in front of base of caudal fin rays ; just above upper edge of pectoral 

 base a white or pale-colored bar often continuing to base of caudal fin; a 

 naiTow white line or streak from snout past lower edge of eye across 

 opercle ; general color of body brown above, paler below, plain brownish 

 in some specimens, others with rows of tiny white spots, sometimes more 

 prominent ventrally but usually most prominent in dorsal half of body ; 

 pale streak extending past upper edge of orbit, thence posteriorly along 

 middorsal side, sometimes obscure ; young with black spots at bases of last 

 ray of dorsal and anal fins, fainter in anal fin. Color in life, from color 

 crayon sketch by author of a specimen from Canton Island : Dorsal fin 

 brown ; upper half of body and head dark chocohite-brown ; middle of side 

 below midaxis brownish red, paler below; belly pale; anal fin pale blue; a 

 white narrow band along midaxis of body continued forward just below 

 eye to tip of snout as a bright yellow band ; below this yellow band on 

 cheek reddish brown fading into whitish ventrally; a triangular bright 

 red spot just above tlie upper edge of pectoral base, base of pectoral fin 

 with red spot ; on midaxis of caudal peduncle two or three black spots 

 bordei-ed with bright green with a bluish tinge; caudal fin yellowish 

 orange Stethojulis axillaris (Quoy and Gaimard) 



