276 BULLETIN 10 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



(off Minnikoy Island, Laccadives). — Weber, Siboga Exp., vol. 57, Fische, 



1913, p. 320 (Nusa Laut). 

 Naso vlamingii Herre, Philippine Journ. Sci., vol. 34, No. 4, Dec. 1927, p. 



459, pi. 15, fig. 1 (Puerto Galera, Sibuyan, Culion, Zarboanga, Sibutu). 

 Naseus tuberosus (not Lacep^de) Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 3, 



1861, p. 353 (Ceram, Aneiteum). 



Depth 2)4 to 2%; head 33^ to 4,^, v.'idth 1>^ to 2. Snout 1% to 

 1% in head from snout tip; eye 33/8 to 4%, 2 to 2J^ in snout, l}^ 

 to Ij^ in interorbital; teeth 50 to 55 in each jaw, 33 to 35 in young; 

 maxillary 43^ to 4^ in head; interorbital 3 to 3yV> convexly eleva- 

 ted; rostrum rounded protuberance, not extended or only very slightly 

 before front of jaws. Gill rakers 3 + 9, short cuneate points. 



Skin minutely asperous, slightly larger granules over preorbital. 



D. VI, 26 or 27, sixth spine 1% to 2 in head, sixth ray 13/^ to 2^; 

 A. II, 27 or 28, second spine 23^ to 3, fifth ray 1% to IJ^; caudal 

 truncate or hind edge slightly convex, fin 1 to l^i, upper and lower 

 points produced with age, nearly or quite ^ combined head and body; 

 least depth of caudal peduncle 53/3 to 6 in head; pectoral 13^5 to 13^; 

 ventral 13^^ to 1^. 



Deep umber brown generally; head posteriorly finely spotted with 

 dusky, gray-blue when fresh. Also upper portion of back, breast and 

 belly more thickly spotted with gray-blue, spots much smaller and 

 more crowded and numerous below. Entire sides of body and tail 

 with very numerous, close-set, vertical gray-blue lines, many broken 

 or connected to form brown or dark bars and lines on tail, where 

 greatly numerous. Caudal and paired fins uniform brown. Dark 

 line from gill opening close below pectoral base, above which spots 

 not extending. Another similar dark line along and below lower eye 

 edge. Dorsals and anals dusky brown. Iris yellowish brown. 



East Indies, Melanesia, Polynesia, Hawaii. The peculiar type of 

 coloration, the long caudal filaments and obtusely rounded front or 

 snout easily distinguish this species. In the young the trunk and 

 tail are entirely spotted with dark and the anal vv ith 1 or 2 longitudinal 

 dark or deep brown bands within outer half. 



4958. A]ibijaban Island. March 6, 1909. Lengtl; 382 mm. without caudal 

 filaments. 



A502. Balukbaluk Island. September 12, 1909. Length 315 mm. 



9942, 14507, 21130. Biri Channel. June 2, 1909. Length 147 to 168 mm. 



5371, 5374. Cebu market. April 5, 1908. Length 250 to 320 mm. 



9072. Casogoran, Malhon Island. July 27, 1909. Length 293 mm. General 

 color slaty or steel gray, with slight lavender shade on breast and belly. Side 

 of liead and back with numerous prussi?ai-blue spots which dull purplish after 

 exposure to air; fuse along side into undulating bars. Area below pectorals 

 and lower side of abdomen along anal base spotted. Bright blue or purple 

 bands from above snout tip backwards under eye and upwards on postocular. 

 Purplish on lips, about gill opening and pectoral base. Dorsal brownish, pur- 

 plish margin becoming slaty. Anal like dorsal onlj^ slightly paler, broken 

 band along base becoming bluish. Caudal more or less olive terminally. 



