66 BULLETESr 214, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



fin with a pale or light brownish band that persists a long time in 

 alcohol; this band margined with a dark line basally; blacldsh spot 

 alwaj'^s prominent at dorsal edge of pectoral base; distal margins of 

 dorsal fin edged with green; distal margin of anal fin with a green band 

 equal in width to half diameter of eye; the basal edges of these green 

 bands in both dorsal and anal fin set off by a brown line; base of 

 each soft ray greenish in both dorsal and anal fins. The breast has a 

 green streak along each scale row and the centers of the scales on the 

 body are greenish. A specimen from Onotoa AtoU, Gilbert Islands, 

 94 mm. long, shows the green color phase partly developed, especially 

 on the fins and head. It is passing from the drab brownish coloration 

 into that phase. 



A live specimen, 142 mm. long, from Arno Atoll had the following 

 coloration as recorded by Strasbm-g: Cheeks and chest salmon 

 colored; scales green with brown borders; basal part of dorsal and 

 anal fins salmon colored, the distal edges bluish with a dark line along 

 the inner edge of the blue color. 



I have studied numerous specimens in lots from the following 

 localities: Hawaiian Islands, 4 lots; Samoa, 4; Fiji, 1; Tahiti, 1; 

 MarshaUs, 4; Marianas, 2; New Guinea, 2; NewHebridges, 1 ; Moluccas, 

 1; Philippines and vicinity, 21; Ifaluk Atoll, 3; Raroia Atoll 1; Christ- 

 mas Island, Line Islands 1; Kapingamarangi AtoU 5; Palau Islands 2; 

 Formosa, 1 ; Ryukyu Islands, 1 ; and Mauritius, 1 . 



Scarus cyanescens Cuvier and Valenciennes 



Plate 11, a 



Scarus cyanescens Cuvier and Valenciennes, Histoire naturelle des poissons, vol. 



14, p. 254, 1839 (type locality: Mauritius; type examined in Mus. Nat. Hist. 



Nat. Paris, Cat. No. 586). 

 Scarvs capitaneus Cuvier and Valenciennes, Histoire naturelle des poissons, vol. 



14, p. 254, pi. 403, 1839 (type locality: Mauritius; type examined in Mus. 

 Nat. Hist. Nat. Paris; a dried skin without color and in poor condition, 

 probably is the same as cyanescens) . 



Pseudoscarus chloromelas Playfair and Giinther, Fishes of Zanzibar, p. 105, pi. 



15, fig. 1, 1866 (type locality: Zanzibar). — J. L. B. Smith, Rhodes Univ. 

 Ichthy. Bull. No. 1, p. 6, 1956 (on Giinther). 



Xanothon capitaneus J. L. B. Smith, Rhodes Univ. IchthJ^ Bull. No. 1, p. 5, pi. 



41, F, 1956 (Pinda, Mozambique). 

 Xanothon cyanotaenia J. L. B. Smith (not of Bleeker) Rhodes Univ. Ichthy. 



Bull. No. 1, p. 5, pi. 42,E, 1956 (Seychelles). 



This species is characterized by^having 4 median predorsal scales, 2 

 rows of scales on the cheek ;^pectoralTays^ii, 13; whitish teeth; and in 

 alcohol a plain brown coloration with the brown'dorsal, anal, caudal, 

 and pelvic fins sharply margined with white (probably blue when 

 alive) much as in S. niger. This species appears to be closest to S. 



