POMACENTRUS 57 



eye, which is contained 2.8 to 3.9 in head; mouth small, nearly 

 horizontal ; jaws even ; maxillary ending posteriorly before front 

 margin of orbit; teeth in two rows, with the tips slightly 

 rounded. Orbital ring at angle of mouth slightly wider than 

 half diameter of eye ; anteriormost tooth of suborbital enlarged 

 and followed by a notch ; posterior edge of preopercle distinctly 

 serrated. 



Scales on head extend to nostrils, leaving a narrow naked 

 space near tip of snout ; no scales on orbital ring or on hind edge 

 of preopercle. Dorsal spines evenly graduated toward the last, 

 which is the highest. Pectoral shorter than ventral and not 

 reaching vent ; soft vertical fins slightly rounded ; caudal distinct- 

 ly emarginate. 



Deep yellowish brown in alcohol, lighter behind and below; 

 each scale in the young with one or more bluish dots, which 

 become less distinct in the adult. Three black spots, one at 

 origin of lateral line, another superiorly at base of pectoral, 

 and the third on caudal peduncle, appear to be a distinctive 

 character. In very large individuals the whitish spot im- 

 mediately behind soft dorsal, which indicates the presence of 

 the black spot on the tail, is absent. The ventral and vertical 

 fins are usually darker, and the other fins lighter than the 

 ground coloration. In the very young the bluish lines on top 

 and sides of head are rather wide and are continued backward 

 as a mass of spots toward a dark ocellus, which covers most of the 

 posterior dorsal spines and anterior rays. In slightly older 

 specimens the lines are narrower and some of the spots are 

 absent, while the dorsal ocellus is reduced in size, sometimes 

 occupying the anterior third of soft dorsal or covering the last 

 one or more spines and a few anterior dorsal rays. In the next 

 stages most of the blue spots are absent and there appears to 

 be no connection between the ocellus and the lines. In a 45- 

 millimeter example this ocellus is absent and the lines on the 

 head, which gradually disappear with age, are very narrow. 



I have examined in the Bureau of Science collection ninety- 

 eight specimens, 23 to 100 millimeters long, from the following 

 localities: Balaoan, La Union; Atimonan, Tayabas; Taal Lake; 

 Puerto Galera and Calapan, Mindoro; Bacon, Sorsogon; Culion 

 Island and Malampaya Sound, Palawan; Estancia, Panay; Bo- 

 rongan, Samar; Bantayan Island and Cebu, Cebu; Tagbilaran, 

 Bohol; Siquijor, Siquijor Island; Cagayan de Misamis, Samal 

 Island, and Zamboanga, Mindanao; and Sitankai Island, Sulu 

 Archipelago. Thirteen specimens, 45 to 55 millimeters, from 



