438 



CONGERMURAENA HO WEN SIS, 11. sp. 

 PL Xl. fig. 2. 



Congermuraena mellissii, Ogilby : Mem. Austr. Mus., ii., 1889, 

 p. 72 (not C. mellissii, Giinther). 



Congrellus gilberti, Ogilby: Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, 

 xxiii., 1898, p. 288 (part, Lord Howe Island specimens); 

 Waite: Pec. Anstr. Mus., v., 1904, p. 189. 



Head 1*5-1*6 in the trunk. Head and trunk 1*2-1*4 in 

 the tail. Eye 1*3-1*4 in the snout, and 4*9-5*7 in the head. 

 Snout 3*4-4*3, pectoral 3*0-3*3, and depth of body 2*7-3*2 in 

 the head. 



Body somewhat compressed, the head and trunk shorter 

 than the tail. Head large, conically pointed anteriorly. 

 Snout longer than the eye, and projecting beyond the lower 

 jaw. Eyes large, separated by a narrow interorbital space. 

 Gape of mouth extending backward almost to below the 

 middle of the eye, with distinct but not fleshy lips. Anterior 

 nostril in a short tube near the margin of the mouth ; snout 

 with large open pores with raised margins. A series of widely- 

 spaced pores crosses the upper-surface of the head behind 

 the eyes to beyond the angle of the mouth, where it divides, 

 one branch following the upper lip while the other extends 

 along the mandible ; a second series crosses the nape and 

 curves downward behind the preopercular portion of the head. 

 Teeth. — Premaxillary teeth acicular, slender, and acute, and 

 arranged in several rows. Maxillary teeth similar, in three 

 or four rows anteriorly, becoming uniserial posteriorly. 

 Anterior vomerine teeth acicular, becoming granular on the 

 shaft, where they are arranged in two or three irregular rows; 

 they do not extend backward to the vertical of the anterior 

 margin of the eye. Mandibular teeth acicular, in several 

 rows anteriorly, becoming uniserial posteriorly ; the inner 

 ones are smaller, stouter, and more granular than the others. 



Fins. — Dorsal commencing w^ell in front of the gill- 

 opening. Pectoral slender, with about fourteen rays, the 

 upper of which are longest. 



Lateral line commencing on the operculum, slightly 

 arched anteriorly, thence gradually descending to the median 

 line of the body. 



Colour. — Brown in alcohol, light-olive in formaline. 

 Plead with distinct darker cross-bands ; the first covers the 

 snout, but leaves the nostrils and larger pores and the lips 

 white ; the second crosses the interorbital space and forms a 

 dark patch beneath the eye : the third extends across the 

 nape and preopercular portion of the head : and the fourth 

 crosses the neck and opercles. Dorsal, anal, and caudal fins 

 with narrow black borders. 



