112 A Collection of Fishes from Samoa. 



H. C. Caldwell, of the U. S. Navy, and received at the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences of Philadelphia in 1857. The most complete 

 work appeared as "The Fishes of Samoa," by Jordan and Seale,^ 

 though its scope is widened to include a Hst of all the species then 

 known from Oceania. Finally Steindachner,^ under the title ''Zur 

 Fischfauna der Samoa-Inseln, " reports a collection made by Dr. 

 Rechinger in 1905. 



OPHICHTHYID^. 



Chlevastes colubrinus (Boddaert). 



One example, 683 mm. Aua Reef, Pago Pago Harbor, June 14, 1920. Head 

 8.4 to vent. When fresh in alcohol grayish white generally, lower surface of tail slightly 

 tinted with pale cream-color. Blackish-browTi cross-bands broad, nearly or quite 

 half width of pale interspaces, most all complete, little narrower below, and about 

 edges of each narrow whitish border. Beginning at vent, 10 interspaces with rounded, 

 black blotch within each along fin edge. Also along side large, round, black blotch 

 in each of interspaces, of which several may be dorsal, or some absent and extend for 

 some extent as small blotches. 



Chlevastes fasciatus (Ahl). 



One example, 549 mm. Same locality as preceding. Head 8.87 to vent. Differs 

 in dark cross-bands, much narrower, at least much less than one-third width of pale 

 interspaces. Also, all along dorsal surface of trunk pale interspaces, each with small, 

 round blackish blotch but little larger than eye. These extend only on first four 

 interspaces of tail. All dark cross-bands interrupted below, except last three on tail 

 and no dark blotches on anal, winch uniform whitish, except last three dark cross-bands. 



MURiENID^. 

 Gymnothorax punctatus (Schneider). 



Head about S; depth at vent about 19; head width about 3.66 in its length; snout 

 5.5; mouth 3.5; interorbital 5.5; eye 2 in snout. Body moderately long, well compressed, 

 rather slender with convexly flattened sides; tail long, slender, and tapers largely from 

 vent. Combined head and trunk about 1.75 in rest of body. 



Head rather small, compressed, with slightly swollen pharynx, apparently rather 

 blunt in front. Snout (damaged above) apparently conic and about as broad as long. 

 Eye rounded, little backward in mouth length, without eyelid. Mouth rather small, 

 horizontal. Teeth uniserial in jaws, entire, compressed, attenuate. First 7 teeth 

 each side in front above little larger than others. Vomer in front with 2 similar teeth, 

 front one smaller. No tongue. Row of very small and rather wide-set cutaneous 

 points, minute, along lower lip. Upper hp (damaged) not examined. Jaws apparently 

 equal,^ lower jaw with low rami, convex and strong. Front nostril in short, fleshy 

 tube near snout tip. Interorbital convex. Occipital region well swollen or convex. 



Gill-opening, little below median body axis, little inclined from horizontal, length 

 about equals snout. Pharynx smooth. 



Skin smooth, tough, rather thick. Along each side of mandible 5 pores. Lateral 

 line obscure, with row of indistinct rather wide-set pores along side medially. 



Dorsal origin apparently about last third in space between posterior edge of eye 

 and front of gill-opening, fin high, especially on last half of tail, and narrowly contin- 



> Bull. Bur. Fisheries. U. S., XXV. 1905 (Dec. 15, 1906). pp. 173-455, pis. 33-63. 

 » Sitz. Ak. Wias. Wien, CXV (1), 1906, pp. 1369-1425. 



• This specimen has the head slightly damaged and due allowance should be made in these 

 proportions. 



