386 



BLTLLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



EVIOTA Jenkins. 

 £nV>ta Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fi.sli Comin., xxii, 19(tL' (190.3), 501 (epiphanes-) . 



This genus contains Eleotrids of diminutive size, none (except E. ahax) an inch in length, 

 abounding in the pools on the coral reefs and in the heads of corals. The species are very numerous 

 about Samoa. Much of our large collection was obtained by a native boy named Afele, who would 

 dive for the coral heads and crack them in a boat, "The Coral Queen," picking up the little fishes 

 from the deck. 



The fringing of the ventral rays and lower rays of the pectorals is a characteristic of this genus. 

 It is especially distinguished from Asterropterix by the naked sides of the head and liy the entire 

 preopercle. 



The earliest known species of this genus and much the largest in size is Eviota abax, described by 

 ,T(irdan & Snyder, from Misaki, in Japan. 



1418. Eviota epiphanes Jenkins. Hawaii. 



1419. Eviota miniata (Scale). Guam. 



F.leotrhmvdalm Seale, Occ. Papers Bi.shop Mu.seum, I, no. ;i, 1901. Vi:\ Guam. 



1420. Eviota zonura Jordan & Seale, new species. L'di. Samoa. 



Head 3.50 in length; depth 4.50; eye 3 in head; dorsal vi,ll; anal 9; scales 28. 



Body elongate, compressed; anterior profile rounded; caudal peduncle 2 in head; mouth of mod- 

 erate size; angle of mouth below middle of eye; small sharp-pointed teeth in jaws; males with prominent 

 papillfe near origin of anal, the females witli a sac; distance from origin of spinous dorsal to snout 

 2..50 in length of fish without caudal; height of spinous dorsal about equal to its base; base of soft dorsal 



Type. 



1.25 in head, its longest ray 1.50 in head; origin of anal under second dorsal ray, nearer to base of 

 caudal than to eye, length of its base 1.75 in head; pectoral longer than head, the tip on a line with 

 first anal ray, about equal to length of ventrals; ventrals have their origin directly below the base of 

 pectorals, their posterior extremity extending to base of anal papillse; caudal rounded, 1.14 in the 

 head. 



Life colors of a specimen from Apia, olive, with orange- brown cross-bars; a black liar liefure liase 

 of caudal; fins brown dotted, the anal with blackish half bars at base. Length three-fifths of an inch. 



A specimen from Pago Pago was bright grass-green, with round orange spots on head; scales on 

 body edged with orange; four or five faint dark cross-bars (not plain at base of anal); a large blackish 

 liar-like spot just before base of caudal; first dorsal dusky, mottled with orange; second dorsal pale, 

 with rows of orange spots; caudal dusky below, pale green above, with some orange spots; anal dusky, 

 mottled with orange; pectoral and ventral pale green. Another specimen from Pago Pago was trans- 

 lucent bluish green; small orange spots and irregular black dots. 



Color in spirits, yellowish white, a distinct black spot on caudal peduncle, three scales from base 

 of caudal fin; six dusky bands extending a short distance vertically up from base of anal fin; these are 

 usually darker at base of fin; shadings of dark spots on sides and top of head (this varies greatly and 

 is absent in some specimens); caudal fin black; spinous dorsal at anterior base is white; the upper 



