POMACENTRUS 53 



and 10 below 1.1. to spinous anal origin; 23 predorsal scales; head width 

 II in its length; head depth about II; snout 3; maxillary 32; interorbital 

 21; first dorsal spine nearly 4; thirteenth dorsal spine li; eighth dorsal 

 ray 18; second anal spine 2; sixth anal ray It; least depth of caudal 

 peduncle II; ventral spine 11. 



Body robust, compressed, contour rather deeply ellipsoid, with greatest 

 depth well over median region, predorsal slightly trenchant just before 

 dorsal, otherwise edges convex, and profiles alike. Caudal peduncle com- 

 pressed, length g its least depth. 



Head robust, moderately compressed, sides moderately convex, upper 

 profile at first convex, then concave at occipital and predorsal bulging 

 distinctly convexly. Snout convex over surface and in profile, length half 

 its width. Eye rounded, little elevated, and hind pupil edge nearly midway 

 in head length. Mouth broad, gape short, oblique, and jaws about even. 

 Lips fleshy, rather narrow. Maxillary extends slightly beyond nostril, 

 though not nearly to eye, and slips below preorbital. Teeth rather slender, 

 somewhat compressed, pointed, crowded close to form an even cutting-edge 

 in a single row. No teeth on mouth roof or on tongue. Inner buccal folds 

 broad. Tongue thick, fleshy, apparently free in front. Nostril small pore 

 about midway in snout length. Interorbital evenly convex. Preorbital 

 broad, width about 11 in eye, ends behind in broad posteriorly directed 

 spine. Lower suborbital and hind preopercle edges serrate, serrae on latter 

 graduated longer below, and lower preopercle edge entire. Opercle with 

 2 blunt and inconspicuous spines, upper concealed by scales. 



Gill-opening forward about opposite front eye edge. Rakers 6 + 13, 

 lanceolate, about half length of filaments and latter 1J in eye. Pseudo- 

 branchiae long as gill-filaments. Branchiostegal membrane short fold over 

 short and constricted isthmus. 



Scales finely ctenoid, largest over middle of side of trunk and become 

 much smaller all about edges, in lengthwise rows parallel with upper arch 

 of lateral line. All larger scales narrowly imbricated. All fin bases scaly. 

 Short scale between ventral bases about \ length of spine. Suprascapula 

 with 3 blunt points. Exposure of humeral scale little larger than pupil. 

 Axillary ventral scale broad, pointed, \ length of spine. Cheek with 3 

 rows of scales. Suborbitals, preorbital, snout edge, lips and chin naked. 

 Upper arch of 1.1. extends below front dorsal rays, concurrent with upper 

 limit of squamation on dorsals. Tubes large, simple, and each extending 

 well over scale exposure. Pores in straight section small, inconspicuous, 

 simple or double irregularly, and not on caudal base. 



Spinous dorsal origin about opposite that of pectoral, spines all more or 

 less subequally high, edge of fin notched and slight cutaneous flap behind 

 each spine tip. Soft dorsal inserted about last third in space between upper 

 hind preopercle edge and caudal base, fin rounded with median rays longest. 

 Anal inserted about midway between pectoral origin and caudal base, first 

 spine about J of second. Soft anal similar to soft dorsal. Caudal deeply 

 emarginate, upper lobe much larger, 3i in combined head and trunk. Pec- 

 toral broad, about long as upper caudal lobe, reaches hind edge of vent and" 

 upper rays longest. Ventral inserted close behind pectoral base, reaches 

 anal, and spine slightly over half length of fin. 



Color in alcohol largely chocolate-brown above and posteriorly, head, 

 breast and belly anteriorly paler or faded in appearance. Iris slaty. 



