﻿PROCEEDINGS OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



issued I^Noi, VJ?^ ** ^' 



SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Vol. 100 Washington : 1950 No. 3270 



THKEE NEW SPECIES OF FISHES OF THE GENUS 

 CIERHITUS (FAMILY CIRRHITIDAE) FROM THE INDO- 

 PACIFIC 



By Leonard P. Schtjltz 



Recently, in studying the fishes of the family Cirrhitidae from 

 the northern Marshall Islands, I found three undescribed species in 

 the genus Girrhitus. They are described below. 



Genas CIRRHITUS Lacepede 



Girrhitus Lacepede, Histoire naturelle des poissons, vol. 5, p. 2, 1803. (Genotype, 

 Cirrhitua mactilatus Lacepdde.) 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF CIRRHrTUS 



la. Vertical scale rows from upper edge of gill opening to base of caudal fin, 



counted just above lateral line, 46 to 49; dorsal rays X, 11 or 12; anal III. 



6 or 7 ; gill rakers 5 or 6+1+9 to 11 ; scales on gill membranes over isthmus 



very small and embedded ; young with .5 or 6 vertical dark brown bars that 



change with growth, breaking up into round or oblong spots, which have 



pale centers and are bordered by a dark brown line, then a white line ; back- 



gi'ound color pale (American, tropical Pacific) — rivulatus ^ (Valenciennes) 



16. Scale rows 44 or fewer. 



2a. Head and body with numerous tiny white specks or spots, arranged in rows 



on sides ; background coloration brownish with about 5 indistinct dark 



bars ; no black spots ; gill membranes over isthmus naked ; vertical scale 



rows 38 and 39 ; orbital ridge low ; gill rakers 7+1+11 (Niuafoou Island, 



Tonga Group) albopunctatus, new species 



26. Color pattern not of tiny white spots or specks ; gill membranes over 



isthmus with tiny scales, somewhat embedded. 



3a. Head and body dorsally and anteriorly with numerous but scattered tiny 



dark brown or black specks ; scales 41 or 42 ; orbital ridge sharp edged, 



high, and extending behind eye a short distance ; gill rakers 6+1+10 



or 11 (Mauritius) nigropunctatus, new species 



1 Girrhitus hetaurus GUI is a synonym. See Tee- Van, Zoologica, vol. 25, pt. 1, pp. 54-58, 

 1940. 



878021—60 547 



