FISHES OF THE PHOENIX AND SAMOAN ISLANDS 289 



ASPASMAGASTER SAMOENSIS (Steindachner) 



Crepidogaster samoensis Steindachnee, Sitzb. Akad. Wiss. Wien, vol. 115, pt. 

 1, p. 40, 1906. 



115403, Tutuila Island, Fagasa Bay, rock pools, June 5, 1939, 1 specimen. 



Order PLECTOGNATHI 

 Family BALISTIDAE 



KEY TO THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF BALISTIDAE FOUND IN THE PHOENIX 



AND SAMOAN ISLANDS 



la. Gill slit surrounded by ordinary scales similar to tbose on bead and trunk, 

 each scale on trunk posteriorly and on caudal peduncle with a spine or 

 somewhat enlarged tubercle, other scales very rough; ground color of 

 trunk and head very dark or brownish everywhere marked with round 

 pale spots ; spinous dorsal brownish ; other vertical fins brownish with 

 obscure pale spots; pectoral pale; head about 3 to SVo and depth 2i/^ to 

 24 to 26; anal 22 to 24; pectoral 14; scales about 45. 



Canthidermis maculatus (Bloch) 



1&. Gill opening with a few enlarged bony plates posteriorly, just above base 



of pectoral fin. 



2a. Caudal peduncle witli two rows of about three strong spines each, the 



area around these jet black, anal rays about 22 or 23; dorsal III-26 or 



27 ; pectoral 13 ; scales on side of body 87 to 41 ; ground color of body 



blackish, with pale streaks curving around base of soft dorsal in wider 



and wider circles across body the last extending from about eye near 



base of pectoral to anal fin base; lower lip with white bar; a pale line 



across snout extends to below base of pectoral; a wider pale band 



across snout and one across chin pass backward and join below and 



in front of base of pectoral fin; pectoral, soft dorsal and anal pale; 



caudal fin pale-dusky, the upper and lower edges margined with a 



black line; spinous dorsal blackish; snout about 31/2 in standard 



length Balistes undulatus Mungo Park 



26. Caudal peduncle not as in 2a above. 



3a. Mandible protrudes so that chin is in advance of tip of upper jaw; 

 three or four naked blue streaks on head extending from below 

 mouth to above base of pectoral ; scales on posterior ventral side of 

 body with slight tubercles, but no spines on caudal peduncle ; ground 

 color grayish, center of each scale brownish and edges of each scale 

 brownish, making weak oblique lines; spinous dorsal brown; pectoral, 

 soft dorsal, and anal fins pale except their scaly base, which is 

 brownish ; caudal fin dusky its margin whitish ; dorsal rays about 

 III-29; anal 26 or 27; scale rows on side of body about 35. 



Balistes ringens Linnaeus 



35. Mandible not protruding so that chin projects in front of tip of jaw; 



no naked grooves or streaks across the head as in 3a above. 



4a. Caudal peduncle without spines; anal rays about 28, dorsal III-33; 



pectoral 14 ; scale rows on side of body about 68 ; color of head and 



trunk plain black ; pectoral pale ; caudal fin pale the edges of upper 



and lower sides with a black line; soft dorsal and anal margined 



with a narrow black band ; snout in standard length 41/2. 



Balistes vidua Richardson 



