THE FISHES OF SAMOA. 



385 



ASTEHROPTERIX Ruppell. (Brachyeleotris Bleeker. ) 



In this genus the body is short and robust, the scales large, the sides of the head scaly, without 

 papillary ridges; paired fins not fringed. Small fishes of the coral reefs. 



1413. Asterropterix semipunctatus Ruppell. Hawaii; Samoa; Tahiti; Palau Is.; East Indies. 



(PI. xxxvi, fig. 1.) 



This small fish is rather common in the crevices of the reefs about Samoa. We have 55 specimens 

 from Apia and 1 from Pago Pago. The blue spots, distinct only in the largest examples, are subject 

 to much variation. 



Life colors of an Apia specimen — a compressed eleotrid with scaly head, large scales, and 

 filamentous first dorsal — dark olive-brown; a dark bar below eye; base of spinous dorsal blackish; 

 soft dorsal and anal dark gray; dorsal paler on upper half; caudal gray; ventral dark gray. 



Another from Apia was brownish black with obscure markings, and still another had the head 

 with pale blue spots, edged with darker; pectoral bright olive, dusky at base; caudal light brownish, 

 with black spots above, ocellated with gray and some black below; fins dusky. 



HYPSELEOTRIS Gill. 



Hypseleolris Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1863, 270 (cyprinoides). 



Giuris Sauvage, Bull. Soc. Philom. 1879, 15 (ranicolensis; no definition). 



tCarassiops Ogilby, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. 1897, 784 (compressus). 



Caulichthys Ogilby, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. 1897, 784 (guntheri). 

 This genus is made up of handsome fresh- water fishes, with the appearance and habit of Fundulus, 

 swimming freely in the water, not lying on the bottom as is the habit with most gobies. 



The genus Caulichthys Ogilby, based on Eleotris cyprinoides, is synonymous with Hypseleolris of Gill. 



1414. Hypseleotris g-untheri (Bleeker). Malu vai. Streams of Samoa, Oualan, and Fiji. 



Eleotris cyprinoides Gunther, Cat., Ill, US, Oualan; not of Cuvier & Valenciennes. 



Astei-ropteryx guntheri Bleeker, Ver. Med., XI, 1876, after Gunther. 



Eleotris gucntheri Gunther, Fisehe der Siidsee, 186, taf. 113, fig. a, Oualan, Savaii, Fiji. 



We have about 100 specimens from Vaisigano, Gasegase, Vailima, and other streams about Apia. 



The native name is malu vai. 



Fig. 74.— Hypseleotris guntheri (Bleeker). 



This handsome goby is found in abundance in all the fresh waters of Upolu. Unlike others of 

 this group it does not lie on the bottom, but swims freely. In appearance, as in habits, it has much in 

 common with cyprinodont fishes. 



A specimen from Apia showed no bright colors; a black lateral band, pectoral black, a black spot 

 on caudal. It agrees fairly well with Giinther's short account of the species. 



1415. Hypseleotris vanicolensis (Sauvage). Vanicolo. 



Eleotris (Giuris) vanicolensis Sauvage, Bull. Soc. Philom. 1880, 54, Vanicolo. 



1416. Hypseleotris macrolepidotus (Bloch). Palau; Fiji; New Hebrides; East Indies. 



1417. Hypseleotris g-odeffroyi (Gunther). 



Eleotris godeffroyi Gtinther, Fisehe der Siidsee, 188, Raiatea, Tahiti. 

 A diminutive fish of the coral reefs, not seen by us. 



