373 



Muraena reticulata Riippell, All. Reise Nordl. Afrika, Fische d. Roth. Meer. 



1828, p. 117 (nee Bloch). 

 Muraena colubrina Richardson, Voyage Erebus & Terror, Fish. 1844, p. 88 



(nee Boddaert). 



Dalophis rtipelliae Me Clelland, Calcutta Journ. Nat. Hist. V. 1845, p. 213. 

 Muraena colubrina Bleeker, Nat. Tijdschr. Ned. Indie VI. 1854, p. 335. 

 Tkyrscidca colubrina Kaup, Cat. Apodal Fish, 1856, p. 84. 

 Gymnothorax rcticularis Bleeker, Atl. Ichth. IV. 1864, p. 98 (nee Bloch). 

 Muraena ruppellii Giinther, Cat. Brit. Mus. VIII. 1870, p. 104. 

 Muraena Ruppellii Klunzinger, Abh. Zool. bot. Ges. Wien XXI. 1871, p. 615. 

 Muraena Ruppelli Day, Fish. India 4. 18781888, p. 669. 

 Muraena ruppelli Steindachner, Abh. Senckenb. Naturf. Ges. XXV. 1901, p. 458. 

 Muraena ruppellii Giinther, Fische d. Siidsee, Heft IX. 1910, p. 412. 



Height 16 25; head about 8 to 9, 2 ! / 3 to 2 3 / 4 in trunk. 

 Head and trunk nearly 1.2 to 1.4 in tail. Eye 7 to more than 

 9, situated nearer to corner of mouth than to end of snout, 

 which is pointed, not prominent; less than half the length of 

 the eye and more or less than 5'/ a times in length of head. 

 Cleft of mouth rather wide, shutting completely, 2.5 to 2.9 in 

 length of head. Tubes of anterior nostrils shorter than vertical 

 diameter of eye. Dorsal rather low, commencing before gill- 

 openings, which are about as wide as eyes. Maxillaries with 

 an outer series of about 15 or less conical, somewhat com- 

 pressed teeth, anteriorly with an inner series of 2 4, disappe- 

 aring with age. On intermaxillary plate a peripheral series of 

 about 10 12 partly strong teeth, mesially 2 fang-like, somewhat 

 compressed depressible teeth. Vomer with a series of about 6 

 or more conical teeth. 15 to more than 20 mandibulary teeth, 

 anteriorly partly with moderately developed canines, irregu- 

 larly disposed in two series. Head, body and fins encircled by 

 15 20 complete, black rings, considerably narrower than the 

 yellowish or reddish brown interspaces. With age the dorsal 

 part of the rings becomes somewhat diffuse and the upper 

 half of the interspaces are reticulated with dark. The first ring 

 through the eye, the second behind corner of mouth, the third 

 in front or across gillopenings; end of snout and mostly tip of 

 tail free. Length 550 mm. [Some specimens of BLEEKER'S 

 collection seen by us]. 



Habitat: Sumatra; Batu Islands; Java (Prigi); Cocos Islands; 

 Borneo; Celebes (Menado); Sangir Islands; Buru; Ambon; 

 Ceram; Ternate; New Guinea (Humboldt Bay!, German New 

 Guinea!); Flores; Rotti!; Timor. Red Sea, Andamans, Ceylon, 

 Pacific Islands (Ponape, Samoa, Kandavu, Paumotu Islands). 



