84 CATALOGUE OF FISH. 



4. Banded species. 



151. TnyRSOiDEA colubrina. 



Mureena colubrina, Commerson npud Lacep. v., p. 641 ; Kich., Ereb. 



d-Terr. 88, pi. 19, f. 1. 

 Muriena fasciata, Banks and Solander,MSS. p. 08 {British Museum). 

 La muraenopliis colubrine, Lacep. v., pp. 041-642. 



Diagn. The whole fish crossed by fifteen irregular bars ; the end 

 of the snout, and of the tail, white. 



A Murccna taken among the Society Islands on Cook's first voy- 

 age is briefly noticed in Solander's notes, as follows : " MuRiENA fas- 

 ciata, tota fasciata, fasciis latis ex alhido cinerascentihus, fascia 

 ducB in capite lutescentibus. Iris argenteofuscescens. PupiUa nigra. 

 Fascice per pinnas extend imtur.'' Native names, " Epui-earhu." 

 Except in the existence of the bands, there is little in this notice 

 to identify it with a banded Murccna which the British Museum re- 

 ceived from the College of Surgeons. The origin of the specimen 

 is not recorded ; but it was associated in the collection with some 

 fish collected on Cook's voyage. Lacepede's figure of M. colubrina 

 represents our fish pretty well, and shows the fins fringing the 

 point of the tail ; yet in the " Regno Animal," it is quoted as spe- 

 cilically the same with the MurcBna annulata of Thunberg, -which 

 is an Ophisurus with double the number of black rings on the 

 body. 



Kasal teeth, 12, slenderly subulate and very acute, in one series. 

 Three taller ones on the mesial line of the disk, a)td 9 very low, 

 small, bhoitish teeth, in a single row, on the vomer. Palatine teeth 

 biserial ; outer row of 12 or 13 teeth, which are narrowlj"^ lanceo- 

 late, very acute, low, and much reflexed; the inner row consists of 

 4 tall, slender teeth, standing opposite to the commencement of the 

 outer row. Each limb of the mandible is ai'med by 24 acute, com- 

 pressed teeth ; 3 of which, near the symphysis, are set alter- 

 nately with 2 minute ones : the following teeth are similar in 

 height, regularity, and inclination to the outer palatine ones. 



•laws equal. Posterior nasal opening with tumid lips, placed 

 very near the superior anterior margin of the orbit. The anterior 

 ones end in rather long tubes. IBody considerably compressed, 

 particularly posteriorly, the tail tapering, and ending very acutely. 

 Anus about one-fourteenth of the whole length before the middle 

 of the fish. The dorsal fin is very conspicuous, and the fold of 

 skin in which it lies is thinner than usual in the Murccna;, so that 

 the rays can be readily seen when it is held up to the light. They 

 are not, however, easily reckoned, owing to their tenuity, and they 

 are shorter at the tip of the tail than on the back. The reticula- 

 tions of the skin produced by the muscular fasciculi are very fine, 

 and the lateral line is imperceptible, though there is a furrow 

 where the muscles of the side meet. 



