REVIEW OF THE PARROTFISHES 63 



reddish brown, the distal margin bordered by a narrow wJtiite band, 

 notably broader than a white line (on larger specimens there are 1 

 to 3 darker brown bars); pectoral fin with a blackish spot at dorsal 

 edge of base of first few rays and on the larger specimens the base of 

 pectoral may be brown; pelvics and pectorals pale; sometimes, on 

 immatm-e specimens, a dusky or blackish spot is present near base 

 of membrane between dorsal spines I and II. 



In the green color phase (standard lengths of 110 mm. and larger, 

 the distal margin of dorsal fin is greenish, the green color occupying 

 less than % length of the rays; light green spots at center of each 

 ray; about }i to }i of distal margin of anal fin greenish, sometimes 

 fight green spots along center of fin are distinct; caudal fin with 2 

 or 3 dusky bars on adults, or only one on half-grown specimens, 

 sometimes rather obscure; outer edges of caudal fin greenish; distal 

 margin of caudal fin with a fine whitish line; midventral fine of body 

 with green streak and about 3 more on ventral side of belly, one on 

 each row of scales; outer soft ray of pelvic green. 



Edges of both lips green; a pale space separates green edge of upper 

 lip from a green band on snout, this band continues past lower edge 

 of eye; 2 other green bands behind eye; under side of head with 2 

 green bars behind the green edge of lower lip. 



In the striped-color phase (standard lengths of 24 to 70 mm.) the 

 body is reddish brown with pale streaks along each row of scales, 

 less distinct dorsally, the light color of each scale occupies the center 

 of the scale; fins light grayish, except that caudal fin may be light 

 brownish, with at times a slight indication of a barred pattern. 



The specimens referred to C. fosteri in Fowler and Bean (loc. cit., 

 pp. 410-414) represent this species and at least one or two other 

 species. Although their description indicates but 2 rows of scales 

 on the cheek, some specimens identified by them have 3 rows; thus, 

 doubt must be cast on the identifications by Fowler and Bean for 

 S. forsteri. This species is close to forsteri and is easily confused 

 with it and also may be mistaken for S. capistratoides. From the 

 former it is distinguished by having the posterior margin of caudal fin 

 without a submarginal blackish line; the pale margins of the dorsal 

 and anal fins are wide in fosteri, narrow in taeniurus. A large number 

 of the specimens identified by Fowler and Bean as erythrodon are S. 

 taeniurus and S. rhoduropterus. The types of erythaccus, galena, and 

 hrunneus, as well as our largest specunens indicates that the green 

 color phase of this species is not as highly developed as in some other 

 parrotfishes. There is a possibility that the brown color phase of 

 our large specimens are of one sex, and the green, of the other sex, 

 but the internal organs are too far digested to work out the problem 

 at this time. 



