REVIEW OF THE PARROTFISHES 117 



J 



beyond doubt that Sparisoma aurofrenatum represents the adult 

 male and S. distinctum the female. 



The immature of both sexes have'the female'color pattern, and at 

 about 75 to 105 mm. in standard length, the male color pattern 

 emerges. The development of the male color pattern from that of the 

 immature and female appears to occur in several species of parrot- 

 fishes. Phylogenetically, I conclude that the immature and female 

 color pattern is the basic one and that the male color pattern is of 

 more recent origin. 



Longley (in Longley and BQldebrand, 1941, p. 211) has observed 

 three color phases: plain; striped; and mottled except for the red 

 and yellow opercular spot, the dark humeral spot, and black tipped 

 caudal lobes. 



This species is anatomically characterized by having a flattish 

 interorbital space (slightly convex in young); the anterior nasal 

 tentacle is ribbonlike without cirri in specimens shorter than 40 mm., 

 but cirri develop at larger sizes and the largest specimens have several 

 cirri; membranes behind tips of dorsal spines are without cirri; canine 

 teeth occur on adults but are absent on the immature; and distal 

 margin of caudal fin rounded in young, becoming concave in adult. 



I have studied numerous specimens from the following localities: 

 Biscayne Bay, Tortugas Island, Cape Florida and Key West, Florida; 

 Bahama Island; Cuba; Cozumel, St. Lucia; Dominica; Puerto Rico; 

 St. Thomas; West Indies; Nassau; and Haiti; also three specimens 

 from Bermuda were loaned by the Chicago Natural History Museum; 

 and Dr. Bohlke loaned many specimens in 23 lots from the Bahamas, 

 making it possible to identify the development of the male color 

 pattern from that of the immature and female. 



Sparisoma axillaris (Steindachner) 



Plate 23,a 



Scarus (Scarus) axillaris Steindachner, Sitzb. Akad. Wiss. Wien, vol. 77, April, 

 p. 6, pi. 3, fig. 1, 1878 (type locality: probably Coast N. Australia; Stein- 

 dachner expresses doubt that the type locality is North Australia and I am 

 certain it is not because the genus is not represented in the Pacific, further- 

 more, Steindachner's figure is an accurate portrayal of this West Atlantic 

 species) . 



Scarus spinidens (not of Quoy and Gaimard 1824) Guichenot, Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. 

 Cherbourg, vol. 11, p. 15, 1865 (type locality: Bahia, Brazil; type examined 

 in Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat. Paris, Cat. No. 1763; preoccupied by Scarus spinidens 

 Quoy and Gaimard). 



Sparisoma rhomaleum Meek and Hildebrand, Marine fishes of Panama, vol, 15, 

 pt. 3, p. 754, pi. 74, fig. 1, 1928 (type locality: Col6n, Panama; holotype 

 USNM 81777 and paratype USNM 80877). 



Scarus brachyvarius (nomen nudum) Longley, in Longley and Hildebrand, Pap. 

 Tortugas Lab. Carnegie Inst. Washington, vol. 34, p. 212, 1941 (Havana). 



