110 BULLETIN 214, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Scaridea balia Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., vol. 22 (1902), p. 469, fig. 27, 



1903 (type locality: Honolulu; holotype USNM 50582). 

 Scaridea aerosa Jordan and Snyder, Bull. U. S. Bur. Fish., vol. 26 (1906), p. 215, 



fig. 4, 1907 (type locality: Honolulu; holotype USNM 57786). 

 Scaridea farrandi E. K. Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 66, p. 28, pi. 1, fig. 4, 



1925 (type locality: Honolulu; holotype USNM 87416). 



The type specimen of S. balia has the pelvic fins farther forward as 

 a result of the abdominal cavity being greatly swollen from gas 

 pressure, in which abnormal shape the specimen was preserved. 



I have studied 5 lots from the Hawaiian Islands. 



Genus Sparisoma Swaixison 



Sparisoma Swainson, Natural history and classification of fishes . . . , vol. 2, 

 pp. 172, 227, 1831 (genotype: Sparus abildgaardi Bloch's pi. 259). 



Callyodontichthys Bleeker, Atlas ichthyologique . . . , vol. 1, pp. 5, 15, 1861 (no 

 species listed). 



Callyodontichthys Steindachner, Ichthyologische Mittheilungen V, Verh. Zool.-Bot. 

 Ges. Wien, p. 1111 (or reprint p. 1), 1863, (genotype, Callyodontichthys 

 bleekeri Steindachner = Callyodon flavescens (not of Bloch and Schneider) 

 Cuvier and Valenciennes =*ScarMS radians Cuvier and Valenciennes). 



The genus Sparisoma is characterized by having 3 rows of teeth on 

 each upper pharyngeal bone, 1 row of scales on the cheek, 4 median 

 predorsal scales, gill membranes broadly joined to isthmus without a 

 free fold, pungent dorsal fin spines, teeth coalesced into parrotlike 

 beak without external incisorlike teeth, and the lower jaw closing 

 over tips of upper jaw; pectoral fin rays normally ii,ll. 



This genus has been recorded from localities in the West Atlantic 

 from Florida and the Bahamas southward to Brazil, from Bermuda, 

 and from the East Atlantic (3 species), but I cannot verify any of 

 these East Atlantic records. 



Dr. Bohlke, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, loaned 

 me all his Bahamas collections, which were rich in specimens of 

 Sparisoma. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE GENUS SPARISOMA 



la. Prominent canine teeth occui'ring on upper dental plate at standard lengths 

 shorter than 156 mm., the posteriormost canine appearing at lengths as 

 short as 25 mm.; 4 outwardly projecting canines are usually developed 

 at a length of 60 ram. and these may be placed on a slight ridge on dental 

 plate; anterior nasal tentacle, simple, without multifid cirri; dorsal 

 surface of head brown speckled; distance from suture between upper 

 dental plates to canine tooth on midside contained 2}^ to 3 times in 

 distance between centers of posterior nasal pores; cirri occur on mem- 

 branes of spinj' dorsal fin just behind tips of spines; base of caudal fin 

 without a broad white crossbar; base of pelvic fins of young with a 

 distinct dark crossbar; depth 2.5 to 2.7 in standard length; caudal fin 



