NEW FISHES 2O3 



Young specimens. Numerous young specimens of this species, in 

 the collection, are easily distinguishable at all stages from the young 

 of Pomacentrus leucorus by the bright yellow color of the -caudal 

 peduncle and posterior parts of the body. 



I. Specimen 51 mm. long. Color and outline about same as in 

 adult. iLips pale ; area on middle of soft dorsal somewhat darker than 

 rest of fin when held to light ; posterior part of caudal peduncle and 

 tail pale yellow. Forehead steep as in adult. A specimen of about 

 this size (59 mm. long) was colored in life as follows : above black- 

 ish-olive ; belly, cheeks and chin brownish ; caudal peduncle and 

 caudal fin orange ; pectoral olive ; anal dark olive, purple spot at base 

 of last ray ; spinous dorsal like back, first soft rays orange-tipped, last 

 rays of soft dorsal olive with purple spot at base ; ventrals blackish, 

 membrane brown. 



II. Specimen 3 J mm. long. Colored same as last, except that the 

 whole caudal peduncle is covered with orange which encroaches on 

 hind part of body and on last rays of soft dorsal and anal. 



III. Specimen 33 mm. long. Yellow covers more of posterior 

 part of body and about posterior half of soft dorsal. Dark area on 

 fore part of soft dorsal more distinctly outlined as a round spot. 



IV. Specimen 29 mm. long. Same as last, except that dark spot 

 is still more distinctly formed on soft dorsal. Specimens of this age 

 are almost identical in shape with adult specimens of Pomacentrus 

 flavilatus. 



V. Specimen 24. mm. long. Orange of posterior part of body 

 very light, covering caudal peduncle, posterior part of body as far 

 forward as middle of soft dorsal fin, posterior half of soft dorsal and 

 last two rays of anal; large round dark spot (specimen in alcohol) 

 very distinct on front half of basal three fourths of soft dorsal, extend- 

 ing also on side of back almost to lateral line ; caudal fin gray ; lips dark. 



The characters described in the preceding paragraphs may be sum- 

 marized as follows : The very young are characterized by having the 

 anterior part of the body plain dark brown, the posterior part, includ- 

 ing that part back of the middle of the soft dorsal fin, the posterior 

 half of the soft dorsal, the posterior two rays of the anal, and the 

 caudal peduncle, bright orange ; contrasting strongly with the anterior 

 dark part. They have also a large, round, dark spot (perhaps dark 

 purple in life) on the fore-part of the soft dorsal fin and the adjoining 

 region of the back. In this stage the lips are not colored differently 

 from the rest of the head and the upper profile of the head is much 

 less steep than it is later in life. As age increases, the spot on the 



