THE FISHES OF SAMOA. 351 



1186. Hepatus nigricans (Linnteus). Vliuli maia; Tu sina. Tahiti; Paumotu Is.; Samoa; Fiji; 



Harvey la.; Bougainville Is.; Gilbert Is. ; New Guinea; East Indies. 

 Clisstodon nigricans Linnajus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, 1758. Red Sea; after Artedi. 

 Chxlodon gahhm Forskal, Descr. Anim.. 64, Red Sea. 



Acanthurus gahm, Gunther, Fische der Siidsee, 113, taf. 74, Tahiti, Paumotu, Samoa, Harvey Is., Bougainville Is., . 

 Gilbert Is. 

 This widely distributed species is rather common about Samoa. We have ten specimens. In all 

 the adult specimens the caudal fin has no white ring at base, being except for the pale crescent at tip 

 dark brown like the body. In one young example the caudal fin is abruptly gray. 



The name Chxtodon nigricans, based on a fish from the Red Sea, dusky, with the caudal whitish, 

 could be no other species. Acanthurus dorehisis is probably the same, the anal rays miscounted. 



Life colors of a specimen from Apia called vliuli maia, very dark olive; fins black; a black 

 oblong stripe or spot behind gill opening on level of eye extending about to middle of pectoral; this ia 

 black, faintly and narrowly edged with pale blue; pectoral with a golden vertical stripe, behind which 

 the fin is colorless; caudal conspicuously edged with white; dorsal and anal with dark and light blue, 

 the streak very narrow, faint on dorsal; ventral reddish brown on inner rays; no white spot before 

 eye; lips dark; no caudal ring nor axil spot. 



A specimen from Pago Pago called i'u sina, was black, with brownish shade; no streaks, but a 

 sanding of darker specks; a horizontal oblong black stripe or spot from angle of gill opening toward 

 near end of pectoral; fins all black, the anal narrowly edged with clear blue; dorsal more narrowly 

 edged with black; caudal very lunate, edged with white; pectoral with a bright yellow cross-bar. 



1187. Hepatus doreensis (Cuvier & Valenciennes). New Guinea. 



Acanthurus doreensis Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., X, 220, Dorey Harbor (New Guinea). 

 This species has the coloration of the young of Hepatus nigricans. It is said, however, to have but 

 20 soft rays in the anal fin, a number lower than in any other species. It is perhaps the young of 

 Hepatus nigricans, perhaps that of //. elongalus, a apeciea in which the caudal shows usually a narrow 

 pale edge. It is, however, by Macleay recorded as a distinct species. 



1188. Hepatus aterrimus (Gunther). Samoa. 



Acanthurus aterrimus Gunther, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1871, 660, Savay. Gunther, Fische der Siidsee, 114, taf. 77, fig. B, 

 Savay. 



This species, described from Samoa, was not seen by us., The deep body and the white crescent 

 on the caudal are the characteristic traits. 



1189. Hepatus lineatus (Gmelin). Alogo. Tahiti; Samoa; Guam; New Guinea; Fate (Seale); 



Zanzibar. 

 Chxlodon lineatus Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1246, 1789, "America, Australis et India." 

 Acanthurus lineatus Gunther, Fische der Siidsee, 111, taf. 70, Samoa, Tahiti, Zanzibar. Kner, Novara Fische, 210; 



Tahiti. Streets, Bull. U. S. -Nat. Mus., VII, 100, Samoa. 

 Teuthis lineatus Seale, Bishop Museum, 1901, 108, Guam. 



This gaudily colored species is very common about Samoa. We have about 50 examples from the 

 reefs at Apia and Pago Pago. 



Life colors of a specimen from Apia, deep blue stripes, each with a pale median line, alternating 

 with golden stripes; belly livid blue, the breast golden, the region behind ventrals orange; two golden 

 and two vertical cross-stripes at base of tail; dorsal olive with pale blue stripes and blue edge; caudal 

 blackish with blue crescent; anal olive-green, pale blue at edge, orange at base; ventral orange, with 

 a deep blue edge; pectoral orange at base, dusky behind, with sky-blue spots. 



1190. Hepatus dussumieri (Cuvier & Valenciennes). New Guinea; Hawaii; East Indies. 

 Acanthurus argenteus Quoy & Gaimard, Voy. Uranie, 373, 1824, pi. 63, fig. 3, Maui; larva, the species .uncertain, 



nearest Teuthis dussumieri, perhaps T. matoides. 

 Acanthurus dussumieri Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., x, 201, 1835, lie de France. Giinther, Fische der 



Siidsee, 112, taf. 72, Hawaii. Steindachner, Sitz. Ak. Wiss. Wien 1900, 493. Honolulu. 

 f Acanthurus lincolalus Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., x, 207, 1835, Indian Ocean. 



This species is the commonest of its genus about the Hawaiian Islands. We did not find it at 



Samoa. 



