152 BULLETIN 10 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



LUTJANUS CAERULEOVITTATUS (Valenciennes) 



Diacope caeruleovittatus Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. 6, 1831, p. 530. 



Mauritius. — Sauvage, Hist. Nat. Madagascar, Poiss., 1891, p. 94, pi. 12, fig. 



2 (type). 

 Genyoroge caeruleovittata Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 1, 1859, pp. 179 



(copied), 504. 

 Diacoiie angulus Bennett, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1831, p. 127. Mauritius. 



Depth 21/2 to 23/5 ; head 23/5 to 21/2, width 2 to 21/3. Snout Si/e to 

 3% in head from snout tip ; eye 3% to 4, 1% to II/3 in snout, slightly 

 greater than interorbital ; maxillary reaches l^ in eye, expansion 

 21/^ to 2% in eye, length 2i^ to 2i^ in head from snout tip; teeth 

 fine, in narrow bands in jaws, outer row little enlarged and 4 canines 

 in front of each jaw formed in outer series; narrow band of fine 

 teeth on vomer and palatines ; interorbital 5 to 514, slightly convex ; 

 preopercle edge finely denticulate, with deep gash receiving strong 

 interopercular spine like knob, which directed outward. Gill rakers 

 7+15, of which 5 or 6 rudiments above and below, lanceolate, little 

 longer than gill filaments or 2% in eye. 



Scales 58 in lateral line to caudal base and 15 more on latter; 

 tubes 46 in lateral line to caudal base and 7 more on latter ; 10 scales 

 above lateral line in oblique row, 16 below, 28 predorsal extending 

 forward opposite front eye edge, 5 rows on cheek. Suprascapula 

 entire. Scales with 16 to 22 basal radiating striae; apical denticles 

 94 to 98, with 6 transverse series of basal elements; circuli fine. 



D. XI, 13, I, fourth spine 2% to 2-% in total head length, first ray 

 33/5 to 4; A. Ill, 8, third spine 2% to 3, third ray 21/3 to 2%', caudal 

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

 pectoral 1% to ll^ ; ventral 1^ to 1%. 



Brown, but little paler below. Obscure darker horizontal streaks, 

 made up of spots and bars, about 9 on back and sides, all ill defined. 

 Iris brown. Vertical fins with more or less dusky. Paired fins pale. 



Mauritius, Madagascar, Philippines, and China. Evidently my 

 examples are the present species, well figured by Sauvage from one 

 of the original discolored specimens. Its very conspicuous deep cut 

 preopercular gash with an exceptionally large interopercular spine 

 will distinguish it. It was noticed by Sauvage with 8 blue bands, 

 without borders, on each flank, 4 upper extending from the head as 

 in Lutjanus hasmira^ 4 lower more narrow, compact, follow curve 

 of belly, reaching throat. Head purple. Color of bod}'' golden 

 yellow, belly silvery white. Dorsal green, clouded olive, other fins 

 yellow. Length 230 mm., reaches 410 mm. 



5873. Malabang market, Mindanao. May 22, 1908. Lengtli 250 mm. 

 A1604. Nafa, Olcinawa, Riu Kiu. February 7, 1910. Length 293 mm. 



