FISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND ADJACENT SEAS 109 



low in horizontal rows. Scales with 12 to 14 basal radiating striae ; 

 apical denticles 77 to 112, with 2 to 17 transverse series of basal ele- 

 ments ; circuli very fine. 



D. X, 14, I, fifth spine 23/5 to 3 in head, fifth ray 2% to 3%; 

 A. Ill, 8, I, second spine 3 to 4, second ray 2% to 3; caudal 1% to 

 1%, emarginate ; least depth of caudal peduncle 31^ to 3% ; pectoral 

 11/5 to 11/3 ; ventral 1 to 2. 



Olivaceous brown above, bright rosy below. Side above lateral 

 line with oblique dusky olive stripes extending up to dorsal bases, 

 become somewhat horizontal over caudal peduncle. Below lateral 

 line similar colored paler longitudinal lines fading out on abdomen. 

 Two dull whitish spots on back above lateral line, first below hind 

 spinous dorsal and other below last dorsal ray bases. Dorsals duslvy, 

 become blackish along edge of spinous fin and submarginal part of 

 rayed fin, edge of which is narrowly white. Anal blackish, deep 

 marginally on spinous portion and continued on rayed portion, ex- 

 cept a rather narrow white edge in front. Remaining portion of 

 rayed anal becomes paler porteriorly so last rays brown. Scales on 

 basal portion of anal dull orange. Caudal brown, with pale dusky 

 edges and above and below rather darker or dusky brown. Pectoral 

 with basal portions of lower median rays dull orange, upper rays 

 dull olivaceous; inside pectoral base dusky brown. Ventral with 

 white rays, membranes except at base of fin, where dull rosy, other- 

 wise black, becoming deeper terminally. Inside ventral base rosy. 



Red Sea, Arabia, Zanzibar, Mozambique, Natal, Mauritius, Re- 

 union, Madagascar, India, Ceylon, East Indies, Philippines, Mela- 

 nesia, Polynesia. A deep body with the two white spots on each side 

 of the back above the lateral line, reaching a large size in comparison 

 with the slender Lutjanus higuttatus. Garrett's figure as given by 

 Giinther shows the white spots quite large, or much larger than in any 

 example I have met with. Giinther gives 915 mm. for the length. 

 Young often with only posterior white spot each side on back and 

 sometimes the anterior may be variably large. Some examples may 

 show a white spot on the upper edge of the caudal peduncle. With 

 age or in large examples in alcohol the white spots are absent. 



Possibly Diacopus swperhiis Castelnau ^^ may have been intended 

 for this species, the imperfect description condensed as follows: 



Depth 2% without caudal; head 214. Body broad, upper profile 

 strongly convex. Eye 414 in head. Two large upper front canines 

 and 6 or 7 lower. Preopercle notch very distinct, receives slight 

 knob; below several arched spines directed forward. Opercle ends 

 in point. Body scales large. D. X (rays not given), fourth spine 

 largest. A. Ill, 8, first spine short, second very large, arched, thick, 



" Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales, vol. 2, 1878, p. 228. Moreton Bay, Brisbane. 



