846 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 



381. MYRIPRISTIS, Cuvier. 

 (FR&RE-JACQUES.) 



Myripristis, CUVIEE, Regne Animal, Ed. 2, Vol. II, 1829, (jacobus). 



Myriopristis, GILL, amended spelling. 



Ostichthys, LANGSDORF MS., CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., in, 174, 1829, (japonicus); 



name only; passing reference. 

 Rhamphoberyx, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1863, 87, (poecilopm). 



This genus is closely related to Holocentrus, differing externally, chiefly 

 in the absence of the large spine at the angle of the preopercle. The air 

 bladder is divided into two parts by a transverse constriction, the ante- 

 rior part extending to the otocrane, and the pyloric cceca are rather few (9). 

 Species numerous in the tropical seas ; gay -colored inhabitants of reefs 

 and rock pools. The group contains two well-marked subgenera, for one 

 of which we retain the manuscript name Ostichthys, given it by Langsdorf 

 some seventy years ago. If no intermediate forms exist, Ostichthys may 

 stand as a distinct genus, (/uvptdg, myriad ; Trptaris, a sawyer, here mean- 

 ing saw.) 

 OSTICHTHYS (wrreov, bone; ix^ s > fish): 



a. Scales very large, about 3-29-7; anal rays IV, 10 or 11. TRACHYPOMA, 1229. 



MYRIPRISTIS: 



an. Scales moderate, about 3-36-6. 



c. Anal rays IV, 13; a deep red or black bar across gill opening and base of pectoral. 



JACOBUS, 1230. 

 cc. Anal rays IV, 11. 



d. Ventral fin plain reddish or whitish; dorsal pale. OCCIDENTALS, 1231. 



dd. Ventral fin black at tip; dorsal mostly dark. PCECILOPUS, 1232. 



Subgenus OSTICHTHYS (Langsdorf). 

 1229. MYRIPRISTIS TRACHYPOMA, Giinther. 



Head 2f in length with caudal ; depth about 2f ; interorbital width 6 in 

 head. B. 8 ; D. XI-I, 13 ; A. IV, 10-11 j V. I, 7 ; P. 15 ; C. 4-3, 25 ; scales 

 3-29-7. All the teeth villiform; the upper maxillary bone reaches behind 

 the middle of the eye, and is not denticulated. Opercles covered with 

 spines, and operculum with a rather strong spinous prominence ; scales 

 ctenoid, but the denticulations equal ; the third anal spine much stronger 

 and also longer than the fourth. Carmine red, darker above; sides with 

 about 10 alternate streaks of deep red on rose color; fins all red. (Giin- 

 ther.) West Indies; rare in Cuba. A beautiful fish, closely related to 

 Myripristis japonicus, the type of Ostichthys. (Tpa%v, rough; nu/ua, oper- 

 culum. ) 



Myripristis trachypoma, GUNTHER, Cat., i, 25, 1859, Cuba. 

 Myriopristis fulgens, POEY, Memorias, u, 160, 1860, Cuba. 



Subgenus MYRIPRISTIS. 



1230. MYRIPRISTIS JACOBUS, Cuvier & Valenciennes. 

 (FRERE-JACQUES ; CANDIL.) 



Head 4; depth 3; interorbital width 4. D. X-I, 14 or 15; A. IV, 13; 

 scales 3-36 to 38-6. Maxillary reaching a little beyond middle of eye ; 



