FISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND ADJACENT SEAS 81 



second ray 1% to 1%; caudal I14 to IV2, convex behind; least depth 

 of caudal peduncle 3^4 to 31/3; pectoral 1% to 1%; ventral 1 to IxV- 



Uniformly pale brownish. Membranes of spinous dorsal dusky, 

 blackish in young. Ventral pale basally, blackish terminally. 

 Young little deeper brown, with 5 transverse whitish bands, much 

 narrower than dark interspaces; first from front of spinous dorsal, 

 second from middle of same fin, third from last spine and fourth 

 from last dorsal rays, fifth on caudal peduncle at caudal base. In 

 j'^oung soft vertical fins also finely though rather sparsely marked 

 with small deep brown spots or dots. Ventral entirely dark in 

 young; membranes of spinous dorsal whitish behind each spine, 

 then dusky before each spine, darker terminally where indistinct 

 and still darker dots. 



Bourbon, Reunion, Madagascar, East Indies, Japan. 



22536 U.S.N.M. Aua, Japan. Japanese Government. Length 174 mm. 



57544 U.S.N.M. Japan. P. L. Jouy. Length 118 mm. 



57582 U.S.N.M. Japan. P L. Jouy. Length 133 mm. 



59686 U.S.N.M. Urado, Japan. H. M. Smith. Length 90 mm. 



Family LUTJANIDAE 



Body oblong, more or less elevated. Head large, crest on skull 

 usually developed. Mouth moderate or large, usually terminal, 

 low and horizontal. Premaxillaries moderately protractile. Maxil- 

 lary long, usually without supplemental bone (except in Doder- 

 leiniinae and Glaucosomatinae), largely slipping below preorbital 

 edge, which forms more or less distinct sheath. Teeth various, 

 unequal, sharp, not incisorlike; vomer and palatines usually with 

 villif orm teeth, variably small or wanting ; tongue often with teeth. 

 Preopercle serrate or entire. Opercle usually without spine. Gills 

 4, slit behind fourth. Gill rakers moderate or long. Gill mem- 

 branes separate, free from isthmus. Pseudobranchiae large. Air 

 bladder present, usually simple. Intestine short. Pyloric coeca 

 few. Vertebrae 24, of which 14 caudal. Scales adherent, moderate 

 in size, more or less strongly ctenoid or cycloid. Cheeks scaled. 

 Lateral line distinct, concurrent with back, not extending on caudal. 

 Dorsal single, continuous or deeply notched, sometimes divided as 

 two fins; spines 10 to 12, usually strong, depressible in groove, 

 heteracanthous. Anal like soft dorsal, with 3 spines. Caudal emar- 

 ginate to forked. Ventral thoracic, with spine and 5 rays, with 

 more or less distinct scalelike appendage at base. 



A large family of active, voracious, carnivorous shore fishes of 

 warm seas. All are valued as food, especially those of large size* 



