FISHES OF TFIE PHOENIX AND SAMOAN ISLANDS 263 



of the dorsal fin, and a row of scales posteriorly along the bases of 

 the dorsal and the anal fins; also a few scales posteriorly on the 

 caudal region of the body; tongue long and pointed not bilobed; 

 other characters are tho^e of the species. 



Genotype. — Chalixodytes taueiuis, new species. 



Named Chalixodytes in reference to its habits of diving and bur- 

 rowing into the fine coral gravel from where it was captured. 



CHALIXODYTES TAUENSIS, new species 



Figure 24 



Eolotype.—K specimen (U.S.N.M. No. 116083) 31.2 mm. in 

 standard length, taken by Leonard P. Schultz from the reef of Tau 

 Island at Siulagi Point, June 27, 1939, along with 32 paratypes 

 (U.S.N.M. No. 116084) bearing same data. In addition, one para- 

 type (U.S.N.M. No. 116085) Avas collected by L. P. Schultz and 

 Frank Taiga from the reef at Pagai, Tutuila Island, June 4, 1939. 

 These paraty]Des measure from 15.6 to 36.6 nmi. in standard length. 



Figure 24. — Chalixodytes tauensis, new species: Holotype (U. S. N. M. No. 116083), 

 31.2 mm. in standard length. 



DeHcrlption. — (Based on the holotype and 33 paratypes. All 

 measurements are expressed in hundredths of the standard length, 

 31.2 (33.1; 32.6 nun.), those for the holotype outside the parentheses 

 and for 2 paratypes within parentheses.) Length of head 21.8 (22.0; 

 22.0); greatest depth 6.4 7.5; 7.8); diameter of eye 3.0 (2.4; 

 2.5) ; length of snout 5.1 (4.8; 4.9) ; width of fleshy interorbital space 

 1.3 (1.5; 1.8); length from tip of lower jaw to posterior edge of 

 maxillary 7.7 (7.9; 8.0) ; postorbital length of head 14.1 (13.9; 13.8) ; 

 tip of snout to posterior edge of maxillary 8.7 (9.6; 9.5); distance 

 from snout to anus 39.1 (36.9; 39.6) ; distance from snout to origin 

 of dorsal fin 44.8 (41.7; 43.8); length of longest dorsal ray 5.8 

 (7.5; 6.2); longest anal ray 5.8 (7.3; 7.4); longest pelvic ray (the 

 third soft ray) 3.8 (4.8; 4.9) ; longest pectoral ray (middle) 8.3 (8.5; 

 9.5); length of longest caudal fin ray 11.9 (10.3; 11.6). 



Dor.sal rays 34 (35; 34; 37; 36; 35; 36; 36) ; anal rays 36 (35; 35; 

 38; 36; 36; 37; 36); pectoral rays 11 (12; 12; 12; 11; 11); pelvic 

 rays always I, 4. 



The dorsal fin origin is over that of the anal; the j^elvics, always 

 I, 4, are iuserted a little in front of the base of the pectorals; tlie 

 operculum is somewhat elongated posteriorly, covering the base of 



424.'599— 42 18 



