148 



U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 02 



Vol. 3 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll: 1 specimen, 117 mm. in standard length (USNM 141945). 



Eniwetok Atoll: 1 specimen, 285 mm. (USNM 152975). 



Onotoa Atoll: 1 specimen, 340 mm. (USNM 167476). 



Canton Island: 1 specimen, 355 mm. (USNM 115368). 



Hull Island: 1 specimen, 455 mm. (USNM 115342). 



Philippines: 1 specimen, 177 mm. (USNM 84202). 



Red Sea: 1 specimen, 215 mm. (USNM 147593) ; 2 specimens, 205 and 230 mm. 

 (USNM 147594). 



Solomon Islands: New Georgia, 1 specimen, 320 mm. (USNM 164388); 1 

 specimen, 285 mm. (USNM 164339). 



Description. — The measurements given in volume 1 for this species 

 p^ply as well to E. horridus except for those recorded in table 133. 

 ''ounts of importance are recorded in table 134. 

 Remarks. — In volume 1, p. 352, I stated for this species that I was 

 unable to decide if E. fuscoguttatus represented 1 or 2 species. Dr. 

 John Kandall and I discussed this problem in 1954 and on the basis 

 of 3 specimens, one each from Onotoa, Canton Island, and Eniwetok, 

 two species were noted. KandaU (Atoll Res. Bull. 47, pp. 48-49, 

 1955) discusses this problem and applied the name E. horridus to the 

 species with the greater number of gUl rakers and pectoral fin rays. 

 I do not agree with his interpretation, because in reading ForskM's 

 description I find that his E. fuscoguttatus is credited with 18 pectoral 

 rays, a number that corresponds to that found on specimens labeled 

 Aornc^iis by Randall. In the meantime, I have assembled several addi- 

 tional specimens from the Indo-Pacific region not avialable when 

 Randall and I fii'st discussed the problem. Counts are recorded in 

 table 134. 



Table 133. — Measurements on two species of Epinephelus recorded in percent of 



standard length 



*The body becomes much deeper with increase in size. 



My interpretation of the data available indicates that Epinephelus 

 horridus is the name that should be applied to the species with fewer 

 pectoral rays i,15 or i,16. Since Serranus horridus Cuvier and 

 Valenciennes is described with 16 pectoral rays, I am using that name 

 for the species with fewer pectoral rays and fewer gill rakers. 



Marshall (plate) illustrates a large specimen of E. fuscoguttatus 

 captured in the Red Sea. The coloration of small blackish specks or 



