108 BULLETIN 214, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



below posterior angle of opercle beneath eye to angle of mouth, 

 there dividing into branches following upper and lower lips; this 

 stripe sometimes carried backward on body, if lower stripe is not 

 well developed, a notable red patch, reaching to vertical line through 

 vent, present on side above pectoral fin; if stripe is distinct, the red 

 patch, split lengthwise, is largely suppressed, and dorsal ocular, and 

 pectoral dark stripes separated by light stripes are present. This 

 species may have a blotched color phase too. 



In immature and female, color pattern is characterized by having 

 distinct light and dark stripes on sides of body. In small young 

 there are 3 alternating sharp narrow white and dark streaks on the 

 side, one along back, one behind eye, and one through upper part of 

 pectoral fin base, the last two extend all the way to the base of the 

 caudal fin. The dark streaks on body may be prominent in some 

 individuals up to about 80 mm. in standard length. The color pat- 

 tern of white and dark streaks will identify this species down to at 

 least 12 mm. in standard length, but the caudal fin is plain white in 

 specimens smaller than 30 mm. 



It was observed during this study that all anatomical details of 

 specimens referable to S. croicensis and to S. punciulatus were exactly 

 the same, especiall}^ in the counts recorded (see table 5). Not until 

 the autumn of 1956 was it possible to conclude without further 

 doubt that S. croicensis represented the immature and females of a 

 species and that S. punciulatus was the mature male. Dr. James 

 Bohlke, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, loaned to me 

 a large series of this species, recently collected in the Bahamas. 

 From that material it was possible to trace the development of 

 the punciulatus color pattern from that of the immature, between 

 standard lengths of 75 to 102 'mm. In addition Dr. Howard Winn, 

 University of Maryland, and Dr. John E. Bardach, University of 

 Michigan, while at Bermuda in the summer of 1956, injected male 

 hormone (testosterone) into individual female croicensis. In a short 

 time, the male punciulatus color pattern developed. I have seen 

 their specimens. 



The most intensely colored dark streak or band is along midside of 

 body, and this remains visible even though blended with the general 

 coloration. At about 75 mm. the dark crossbars on underside of head 

 appear and become more fully developed in the punciulatus pattern, 

 along with the characteristic lines and spots on anal and dorsal fins; 

 in a specimen 102 mm. in standard length, the croicensis color pattern 

 is partially retained in the punciulatus color pattern as regards the dark 

 band through orbit and the whitish ventral part of body adjoining anal 

 fin base. 



In the list of synonyms above, croicensis, insulae si. crucis, lineaius, 



