196 
head without scales; predorsal scales extending anteriorly to point 
ranging from about 2/3 distance from dorsal origin to parietal 
commissure, to just short of parietal commissure; vertebrae 10 + 22— 
24 (10 + 22); epurals 2; epineurals present on vertebrae | through 
20-23 (21); pleural ribs present on vertebrae 3 through 10, the 
ultimate rib small to moderately developed. 
Upper jaw with 3 or 4 (at symphysis) to | or 2 (on sides of jaw) 
irregular rows of small conical teeth, those of outer row much larger; 
lower jaw with 2 or 3 (at symphysis) to | (on sides of jaw) rows of 
small conical teeth, those of outer row much larger; vomer with | or 
2 rows of small conical teeth arranged in chevron; palatines eden- 
tate; tongue edentate and moderately pointed. 
LIVE COLORATION 
Males (based on the description in Smith, 1954: 302, the colour 
illustration in Smith, 1977: pl. 4D, and a photograph of a specimen 
from the Comoros Islands, ROM 56501, 22.1 mm SL): head bright 
reddish orange to bright red, with black-edged white stripe extend- 
ing from posterodorsal rim of orbit, above upper part of preopercle, 
to upper edge of operculum; white spot on posteroventral rim of 
orbit at about 3 o’clock position; narrow brown to dark grey bar 
extending from ventral part of orbital rim to posterior edge of 
maxilla; iris yellow, red centrally, with radiating brown bars; nape 
dark brownish red to dark grey, with scattered small white spots; 
body black, with scattered small white spots, these sometimes 
aligning to form vague bars on upper part of body; dorsal fin with 
large dark grey to black spot, extending from first segmented ray to 
about fourth or fifth segmented ray; black spot bordered anteriorly 
with yellow, basally with bright yellow to bright orange, and some- 
times posteriorly with yellow to bright orange; basal one-third of 
dorsal fin behind large black spot bright red, with small black spot or 
streak at base of each of fin ray, these sometimes edged anteriorly 
with white; remainder of dorsal fin reddish or pinkish hyaline to 
bright red, with greyish hyaline to grey distal margin; basal one- 
third of anal fin bright red, with small black spot or streak at base of 
each of fin ray, these sometimes edged anteriorly with white; 
remainder of anal fin reddish or pinkish hyaline to bright red, with 
greyish hyaline to grey distal margin; caudal fin black basally, 
remainder of fin greyish hyaline to black; pectoral fin black with 
irregular white spots basally, remainder of fin greyish hyaline, with 
fin rays dark grey; pelvic fin bright yellow on base, remainder of fin 
black, sometimes with distal margin pale grey to hyaline. Females 
(based on the description in Smith, 1954: 302, the colour illustration 
in Smith, 1977: pl. 4C, and a photograph of a specimen from the 
Comoros Islands, ROM 56502, 22.7 mm SL): head olive-brown to 
brown dorsally, becoming pale green ventrally, with two pale olive 
bars on nape; large dark grey to black spot on subopercle, bordered 
irregularly with white, sometimes with additional, smaller white- 
edged black spot on lower part of subopercle; brown-edged diffuse 
pale olive stripe extending from posterodorsal rim of orbit, above 
upper part of preopercle, to upper edge of operculum; two white 
spots or clusters of white to mauve spots on posteroventral rim of 
orbit, at about 3 and 5 o’clock positions; head and nape with 
scattered white to mauve or pale olive small spots; narrow dark 
brown to grey bar extending from ventral part of orbital rim to 
posterior edge of maxilla; iris pale yellow to pale orange, with 
radiating brown bars; body generally orange-brown, becoming ol- 
ive to dusky green posteriorly; body with olive-brown bars, 
alternating with pale olive bars; pale olive bars sometimes dotted 
with pale green to mauve spots; broad orange-yellow area some- 
times present on side of body; upper and lower edges of caudal 
peduncle sometimes with small, punctate black spots; dorsal and 
anal fins dusky green to dusky orange or greenish hyaline, often with 
A.C. GILL AND R. FRICKE 

Fig.4 Anisochromis kenyae, ROM 56711, 21.6 mm SL, male, Comoros 
Islands (Photograph by P. Hurst). 
irregular pale olive to mauve or white small spots; barring on body 
sometimes extending slightly on to fin bases; base of each ray in 
dorsal and anal fins sometimes with small reddish brown to black 
spot or streak, edged anteriorly with pale olive to mauve or white; 
caudal fin olive to lime green basally, remainder of fin dusky olive 
to dusky orange or hyaline; fleshy pectoral-fin base maroon to dark 
brown, with scattered white to mauve spots; pectoral fin orangish 
hyaline to hyaline; pelvic fin olive, sometimes with base pale 
yellow. 
PRESERVED COLORATION 
Males (Figs 4, 8A): pattern generally similar to live coloration, head 
and anterior part of body becoming pale brown, paler ventrally; pale 
markings on head obsolete; dark spots and stripes on head remain, 
becoming dark grey-brown to dark brown; body behind pectoral-fin 
base dark grey-brown; white spots and bars on body remain, becom- 
ing brownish white to pale yellow; dorsal and anal fins brownish 
white, sometimes dusky hyaline distally, with dark grey-brown 
spots often present at base of each fin ray; large dark spot at anterior 
of dorsal fin remains, becoming dark grey-brown; caudal fin dark 
grey-brown basally, dusky hyaline to brown distally; pectoral fin 
grey-brown basally, dusky hyaline to hyaline on remainder of fin; 
pelvic fin brownish white to pale yellow basally, sometimes slightly 
darker on extreme base, remainder of fin dark grey-brown to brown, 
often with distal margin narrowly pale brown. Females (Fig. 5): 
pattern generally similar to live coloration, head and body becoming 
pale brown; pale markings on head and body obsolete; dark spots 
and stripes on head remain, becoming dark grey-brown to dark 
brown (ocellated spots sometimes absent, although possibly these 
represent intermediately coloured, sex-transforming specimens), 
sometimes with additional irregular brown vermiform markings and 
spots on cheek and operculum; dark barring on head and body 
variably remains, becoming brown to pale brown; dark punctate 
spots on caudal peduncle remain, becoming dark brown to dark 
grey-brown, sometimes extending anteriorly to near middle of 
dorsal- and anal-fin bases; dorsal and anal fins dusky brown to 

Fig.5 Anisochromis kenyae, ROM 56502, 22.7 mm SL, female, 
Comoros Islands (Photograph by P. Hurst). 
