66 BULLETIN 10 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



of gill opening toward second dorsal spine, below same changes 

 course following outline of back to end of dorsal fin, then direct 

 to caudal medianly. Tubes in lateral line straight, extend along 

 whole scale length. Head entirely scaly. Dorsal single, with 10 

 spines and 12 to 15 rays, spinous portion of greater length than soft. 

 Anal with 3 spines and 12 to 15 rays. Caudal truncate or lunate. 

 Pectoral not symmetrical, pointed, rays 19 or 20, upper largest. 

 Ventral very large, thoracic spine very strong, fins close together. 

 Species rather few in tropical seas. 



ANALYSIS OF SPECIES 



a\ Priacanthus. Ventrals moderate, shorter than head, or not exceeding liead. 

 b\ Caudal truncate, or only very feebly eniarginate, at least truncate as 

 expanded. 

 c\ Lower gill rakers 17 to 19 ; dorsal and anal often with round gray or red 



spots, back often with dark cross bars or large spots cruentatus. 



c^ Lower gill rakers 20 to 25. 



d^. Dorsal, anal, and ventral membranes immaculate arenatus, 



(f. Dor.sal, anal, and ventral membranes with variable though distinct 



round olive or brown spots macracanthus. 



b^ Caudal crescentic, the lobes produced with age. 



e* Vertical fins not dusky or blackish ; ventral without black basal 

 blotch, though inner membrane with conspicuous round purple- 

 black spots, largest near belly ; lower gill rakers 17 or 18__tayenus. 

 e°. Fins dark or dusky ; ventral with small blackish basal blotch ; lower 



gill rakers 20 to 24 hamrur. 



a^ CooKEOLUs. Ventrals enlarged, conspicuous, long as or half longer than head ; 

 lower gill I'akers 17 or 18; caudal truncate or slightly convex boops. 



Subgenus Priacanthus Oken. 

 Ventrals moderate, shorter than head, or not exceeding head. 



PRIACANTHUS CRUENTATUS (Lacepede) 



Ldbrus cruentatus Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. 3, 1800. pp. 452, 522. 

 Amei'ica [Martinique]. 



Priacanthus cruentatus Cuviee, Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. 3, 1829, p. 102 (on 

 Plumieb's MS.). — Morrison, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1889, p. 

 162 (Havana).— BoTJLENGEB, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 1, 1895, p. 352 

 (Bermuda, Jamaica, Saint Croix, West Indies, Samoa, Tahiti, Ponape. 

 Moluccas, Amboina, Zanzibar) . — Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., vol. 

 22, 1902 (1903), p. 450 ( Honolulu ) .—Jordan and Evermann, Bull. U. S. 

 Fish Comm., vol. 23, pt. 1, 1903 (1905), p. 229, fig. 94 (Honolulu, Hilo. 

 Napoopoo, Kailua). — Jordan and Seale, Bull. Bur. Fisher., vol. 25, 1905 

 (1906), p. 261 (Apia) ; vol. 26, 1906 (1907), p. 20 (Cavite).— Gilchrist and 

 Thompson, Ann. South Afric. Mus., vol. 6, 1908-11, p. 147 (Durban).— 

 Kendall and Goldsboeough, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 26, 1911, p. 286 

 (Papeete, Tahiti). — Webee, Siboga Exp., vol. 57, Fische, 1913, p. 214 

 (Binongka).— Fowler, Copeia, No. 112, Nov. 20, 1922, p. 83 (Hawaii) ; 

 Bull. Bishop Mus.. No. 22, 1925, p. 26 ( Honolulu ).— Barnard, Ann. South 

 Afric. Mus., vol. 21, pt. 2, Oct. 1927, p. 498, pi. 21. fig. 2 (Algoa Bay: 

 Natal).— Fowler, Mem. Bishop Mus., vol. 10, 1928, p. 190 (Honolulu, 

 Tahiti, Nukuhiva, Rarotonga, Papeete, Apia, Maui, Society Islands) ; Proc, 



