According; to bis classification, the okifuedai belongs to the sub;»enus 

 Ralzaro Jordan fr Fesler, and this species belonf»s to the subgenus Weomaensla 

 Glrard. The scientific name Lut.lanus vaictiensls (luoy & (Talmard) has in 

 the past been applied to the okifuedai, . however, although we have not been 

 able to see the original citation and cannot tell which species Is meant In 

 other older citations, it seems proper to give the name Lut.lanus valglensis 

 to this species, since it agrees with Fowler's description, and to consider 

 the okifuedai a different species. Furthermorei this species is, as shown 

 (jPage A4] belowi poisonous while the okifuedai . although called dokugyo 

 "poisonous flshj, is said to be nonpoisonous by the people of Jdnolke 



-.^> vtS> J^" ^^^ ®"^ ^s eaten l^ thera. It is an interesting question how 



' e fish got the name dokugyo . 



& 



Toxicity . Cats i*iich ate 47.1 gr of raw flesh, 40.7 gr of cooked 

 flesh, and 15.2 gr of liver all showed marked reactions and died. One 

 which ate 34.7 gr of cooked flesh showed no ill effects. In the experi- 

 ments with mice there was very little reaction noted. 



Mot a few cases of poisoning In human beings have been caused by this 

 species. It is one of trie most common lutjanlds and large numbers are 

 caught. 



The following account was given by flshamen at Saipan who had ex- 

 perleneed poisoning from this fish. 



"They went fishing at Laulau Bay and could catch nothing but akamasu . 

 An old man warned them, but they cooked the fish and ate it. All fourteen 



rf them were .^trfcl'en, some of them havir.'^ raten hamasoki (<in antitoxic 

 plant described in a later chapter) alont wlththe fish. Two hours, or 

 four to five hours at the latest, after eating,thelr tongues, lips, 

 fingers, and toes hurt. They had cramps. Their fingers became clenched 

 to the palms of their hands and could not be opened. They could not stand 

 up and had to lie there for two nights. Their nerves throbbed '^ith pain, 

 and they had bloody diarrhea. At that time they felt as if their bellies 

 were on fire. Seven of them vjere cured of roundworms as a result, and 

 later felt fine." 



It is thought that the toxicity of this species should be classed as 

 mild or strong. 



2. Futatsuboshidokugyo (Plate 5 Figure 14) 



Scientific name - Lut.lanus bohar (Forskal) 

 Local name - baan or pai> (ibrshallese), akamasu (Japanese) 

 Distribution - Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Philippines, South Seas, Hawaii 

 T^orphology - At first glance this species is very similar to the preceding, 

 but it can be distinguished by its flatter and deeper body. Examining more 

 detailed characters, the alignment of the scales on the caudal peduncle is 

 horizontal in this species, there are about 60 scales on the lateral line, 

 the diameter of the eye is greater, and the notching of the preoperculum 

 is slighter. The coloration of this species is quite similar to that of 

 fPage 45] the preceding species and it is difficult to distinguish between 

 them on that point alone. Past citations have described two white spots 

 on the back as a characteristic of this species, and Bleeker* in his 



♦Bleeker, P . » - Atlas iehthyolopilQue des Indes Orientalgs . 



31 



