FAMILY BALISTIDAE — WOODS 107 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll: Enyu Island, lagoon reef at channel entrance, poison, diving and 

 spear to depth of 20 feet, March 19, S-46-8, Schultz, Brock, and Marr, 1 specimen, 

 97 mm. 



Rongelap Atoll: Kjeshiechi Island, north end, lagoon coral head at depth of 

 20 feet, poison and spear, July 24, S-46-285, Brock and Herald, 2 specimens, 

 78 and 113 mm. 



Description. — Dorsal fin rays III-ii,24 or 25; anal rays ii,22 or 23; 

 pectoral rays i,12; branched caudal rays 5+5; gill rakers on first 

 arch 25 to 27 (2 counts), long, slender, tapering; scale rows 45 to 47; 

 teeth in upper jaw 8, lower jaw 8, notched. 



Depth of body 1.85 to 1.95; length of head 2.6 or 2.7; both in 

 standard length. Snout 1.3 to 1.5; diameter of eye 4.6 to 5.0; least 

 depth of caudal peduncle 4.2 to 4.4; length of pectoral fin 2.75 to 3.3; 

 length of longest soft dorsal ray 2.5 to 2.7, length of longest anal ray 

 2.7 to 3.0; length of caudal fin 1.7 to 2.0 interorbital width 4.1 to 4.3; 

 all in length of head. Angle of snout profile with lengthwise axis of 

 body 31 or 32 degrees, snout profile almost straight in smallest 

 specimen, slightly concave in largest. 



Groove present before eye below nostril; interorbital flat; third 

 dorsal spine small; caudal peduncle with 7 to 10 rows of small spines; 

 cheek scales not enlarged, smaller than scales of body; fringe of short 

 fleshy cirri around corners of mouth just back of lips in largest 

 specimen. 



Color in alcohol. — Head and body dark brown; lips pale; two pale 

 cross bands on chin, one narrow and distinct below lower Up, the 

 other broader, diffuse, on under side of chin; spiny dorsal membrane 

 dark brown between first and second dorsal spines, dark basally, 

 pale distally between second and third spines; soft dorsal, anal, and 

 pectoral fins pale, their rays dusky; caudal fin with upper and lower 

 rays white, with broad white, crescent-shaped band along distal 

 margin, middle part of fin dark brown. 



SUFFLAMEN BURSA (Bloch and Schneider) 



Plate 138,B 



Batistes bursa Block and Schneider, Systema ichthyologiae . . ., p. 476, 1801 

 (on Baliste bourse Rozier; type locality, Indies). 



SPECIMEN STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll: Eman Island, channel reef at western end, July 17, S-46-405, 

 Schultz, Brock, Myers, and Hiatt, 1 specimen, 118 mm. (USNM 140625). 



Description. — Dorsal fin rays III-ii,25; anal rays i,24; pectoral 

 rays i,13; branched caudal rays 5+5; gill rakers on first arch 22; 

 scale rows 48; teeth notched, 8 in upper jaw, 8 in lower. 



