385 



with one series of 12 13 compressed teeth and in young 

 specimens anteriorly with an inner row of I 3 larger ones. 

 Intermaxillary plate with a peripheral series of about 10 12 

 teeth and a mesial series of 3 canines. Vomer with a single 

 row of 3 9 small teeth. Mandibles with a single row of about 

 19 teeth. In younger specimens the teeth near the symphysis 

 are irregularly biserial. Brownish with more or less conspicuous 

 very fine white or yellow lines, forming a network; sometimes 

 almost uniform dark brown. Length over 560 mm. [Type of 

 M. pseudothyrsoidea in the British Museum and of M. makas- 

 sariensis in the Leiden Museum seen by us]. 



Habitat: Celebes (Makassar!); Ambon. Zanzibar, Muscat, 

 Seychelles, Chagos Archipelago, British India?, Philippines?, 

 China?, Riu-Kiu Islands?, Darnley Island. 



19. Muraena (Gymnothorax) hepatica Riipp. 



Muraena hepatica Riippell, Atl. Reise Nordl. Afrika Fische d. Roth. Meer. 1828, 



p. 120. 



Muraena albimarginata Schlegel, Fauna japon. Poissons II. 1847, p. 267. 

 Muraena albimarginata Bleeker, Nat. Tijdschr. Ned. Indie XIII. 1857, p. 77. 

 Gymnothorax albimarginatus Bleeker, Atl. Ichth. IV. 1864, p. 107. 

 Muraena hepatica Gunther, Cat. Brit. Mus. VIII. 1870, p. 122. 

 Muraena hepatica Klunzinger, Abh. zool. hot. Ges. Wien XXI. 1871, p. 614. 

 Gymnothorax albimarginatus Snyder, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. XLII. 1912, p. 492. 

 Gymnothorax hepaticus M. Weber, Siboga-7xped. Fische 1913, p. 57- 



Height 20 26; head 8 9; 3 to more than 3.5 in trunk. 

 Tail equal to or a little longer or shorter than head and trunk. 

 Eye 8 10, situated above the middle of the cleft of the 

 mouth, 1.7 to twice in snout, which is bluntly rounded, not 

 prominent and goes about 5 to 6 times in length of head. 

 Cleft of mouth wide, can be shut completely, 2.3 to 3 in length of 

 head. Dorsal high, before anus about half height of body, above 

 anus about equal to height, on tail even higher than body 

 underneath, its origin in advance of gillopenings, which are 

 scarcely wider than eye. Anal much lower. Teeth acute, partly 

 somewhat compressed, a series of about 10 12 in maxillaries, 

 the anterior of which are stouter; anteriorly, inside of them 

 in young specimens about 4 teeth, which decrease in number 

 with age and finally disappear. On intermaxillary plate a peri- 

 pheral series of about 10 caniniform teeth and 2 large fang-like 

 depressible mesial ones. On vomer a series of 5 10 small 

 conical teeth, which may decrease to two. Mandibles with a 

 INDO-AUSTRALIAN FISHES III. 25 



