FAMILY ALUTERIDAE — WOODS 91 



caudal peduncle 2.8 to 3.2; length of pectoral fin 2.8 or 2.9; length 

 of longest dorsal ray 3.75 to 4.1 ; length of longest anal ray 3.9 to 4.2 ; 

 length of middle caudal rays 1.2 or 1.3; length of soft dorsal fin base 

 1.1 to 1.2; length of anal fin base 1.1 to 1.3; length of dorsal spine 1.5 to 

 1.6; interorbital width 3.7 to 4.3; postorbital part of head 9.2 to 9.6; 

 length of gill opening 5.1 to 9.2 ; all in length of head. Angle of snout 

 profile 27 to 30 degrees, snout profile straight. 



Interorbital only slightly elevated above rim of orbit, nearly flat; 

 dorsal fin spine slender, with minute spines, inserted just behind eye; 

 pelvic spine long, slender, with numerous very small straight spines; 

 pelvic spine extending beyond ventral flap; caudal peduncle slightly 

 longer than deep; scales of body each with 3 or 4 short, slightly bent 

 spines, those of caudal peduncle not enlarged; short, branched cirri 

 present on body arranged in about 5 irregular lengthmse rows ; dorsal 

 and anal fins elevated anteriorly; caudal fin with posterior margin 

 rounded. 



Color in alcohol. — Ground color of head and body light yellowish 

 brown; snout, back, and upper sides, slightly darker; lips pale; three 

 faint bars crossing throat, first just behind chin, third below the eye; 

 upper third of eye dark brown; body with tiny dark dots, cirri 

 blackish; large dark brown oval spot (about size of eye) containing 

 several blackish dots or lengthwise streaks present on upper sides 

 below anterior third of dorsal fin, a fainter oval spot, longer and 

 narrower than upper, on middle of sides below and slightly posterior 

 to upper; dorsal spine pale brown with 4 darker brown bars, dorsal 

 spine membrane dusky brown; dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins pale, 

 outer rays of caudal fin with 10 bars, 3 faint double transverse bars 

 on caudal, two on basal half, the third submarginal. 



Ecology. — This species was collected by means of a dredge in 120 and 

 168 feet on the bottom of the lagoon. It is possible that the fish were 

 taken in the dredge on its way to the surface. 



Genus AMANSES Gray 



Amanses Gray, Illustrations of Indian Zoology, vol. 2, pi. 98, 1833-34 (type 

 species, Monacanthus (Arnanses) hystrix Gra,y = Balisles scopas Cuvier). 



AMANSES SCOPAS (Cuvier) 



Plate 135,A,B 



Balistes scopas Cuvier, Regne animal . . ., vol. 2, p. 373, 1829 (after Lacepede, 

 Histoire naturelle des poissons, vol. 1, p. 389, pi. 18, fig. 1, 1798). 



SPECIMEN STUDIED 

 Marshall Islands : March-August, 1946, Schultz and Herald, 1 specimen, 82 mm. 

 Description. — Dorsal rays 1,28; anal rays 25; pectoral rays 13; 



