522 SKALK. 



Family J.AJJiiilJyE. 

 Halichoeres iris Seale, si), iiov. 



Head 3.10 (ineasiiiei.l tu riid of npen-ular Hap); dejitli '■> : ilorsul IX, 

 13; anal II, 11; scales 26; 13| in vertical series; eye 4.5(1 in licarl : >iiout 

 2.75; interoj'bital -1.10; maxillary 4.50; mandible 3. 



Body oblong, compressed, the upper and lower oiitliiii'- evenly curved 

 to the ratlier pointed head and snout. Depth of caudal peduncle 2.1 

 in head, its length 3 in head. Mouth rather small, the jaws eiiual, Ihe 

 upper jaw protractile, upper lip with wide fold, lower lip with fold Icfs 

 developed. Teeth in a single series in each jaw, the anterior ones con.sist- 

 ing of enlarged projecting canines; they graduate in size posteriorly. 

 Xo canines at angle of jaws. Xo teeth on vomer or palatines. Gill 

 openings extend forward to line with angle of preopercle. Gill rakers 

 small, fine-pointed, about 13 on lower limb. 



Body covered with large smooth scales, which arc iiiucli smaller on 

 thorax. Head entirely naked, fins unsealed, except a low at base of 

 dorsal and anal, and basal half of caudal. Lateral line continuous. 



The dorsal spines are short and pungent, the origin of the fin is midway 

 between tip of snout and base of sixth dorsal ray, the longest spine about 

 4.25 in head, the longest ray 3. Caudal is slightly lunate, its length 

 1.35 in head. Origin of anal midway between the end of l:i-:t caudal 

 vertebra and the posterior margin of hard opercle, being on a line with 

 the base of third dorsal ray, its base is 1.20 in head, its second spine is 

 longest, 3.25 in head, its longest ray 2.50. Origin of ventrals slightly 

 nearer angle of mouth than to anal, the lengtli 3.10 in head. Pectorals 

 1.30 in head, ending on a line with ninth scale of lateral line. 



Color in life. The general color is greenish above and bluish below ; 

 there are seven purplish bands over back which extend obliquely iiack 

 and down to about the median line of sides, the anterior Ijand is from 

 nuchal region to axil of pectoral, the second from origin of dorsal, third 

 fiom posterior portion of spinous dorsal, fourtli from aiitcrim- portion 

 of soft dorsal, fifth iVoni middle of soft dorsal, sixth from posterior por- 

 tion of soft dorsal and the seventh over the middle of caudal peduncle; 

 these bands are almost as wide as the interspaces. The top of head 

 and nuchal region are purple, there are three wide I'osy bands tinted with 

 purplish on sides of head, one from posterior of eye to posterior maririn 

 of opercle near base of pectoral, one from lower portion of oibir to lower 

 posterior margin of opercles, one from lower anterior uiaigin of oil)it 

 to behind angle of mouth; these bars are of slightly greater width llvm 

 pupil, the coloring of cheeks between these bars is yellowish, with poitions 

 shading into orange and greenish, the loweY jaW and throat blue, base 

 of pectorals purplish, the base of rays yellow. Spinous dorsal purplish 

 with deep green on base, the purplish coloring extending back as a 



