200 
A.C. GILL AND R. FRICKE 

Fig. 9. Anisochromis mascarenensis, SMNS 23037, 23.9 mm SL, male, 
holotype, Réunion. (Photograph by P. Hurst) 

Fig. 10. Anisochromis mascarenensis, SMNS 21025, 24.2 mm SL, female, 
paratype, Réunion. (Photograph by P. Hurst) 
grey to black spot, extending from first segmented ray to about 
fourth or fifth segmented ray; anal fin and remainder of dorsal fin 
pale brown to white; basal one-quarter of dorsal and anal fins dark 
greyish brown, with small white spot at base of each ray; distal one- 
quarter of dorsal and anal fins greyish hyaline to grey; caudal fin 
dark grey brown to black basally, remainder of fin greyish hyaline; 
pectoral fin dark greyish brown to black with irregular pale brown 
spots basally, remainder of fin greyish hyaline, with fin rays dark 
grey; pelvic fin with broad pale brown band near base of fin, edged 
basally with narrow slightly darker band or dappled spots and 
distally with dark grey (which is darkest immediately adjacent to 
pale band), distal edge of fin pale grey-brown. Females (Fig. 10): 
head brown dorsally, paler ventrally, with two or three dark brown 
bars on nape; large dark brown to dark grey-brown spot on subopercle, 
bordered irregularly with pale brown, sometimes with additional, 
smaller pale-edged dark brown spot on lower part of subopercle; 
brown-edged diffuse pale brown stripe extending from posterodorsal 
rim of orbit, above upper part of preopercle, to upper edge of 
operculum; cheek and operculum sometimes with irregular brown 
vermiform markings and spots; narrow dark brown to grey-brown 
bar extending from ventral part of orbital rim to posterior edge of 
maxilla; body pale brown; upper part of body with brown to grey- 
brown bars, becoming less distinct ventrally; broad pale yellow to 
pale brown area sometimes present on side of body; upper and lower 
edges of caudal peduncle sometimes with small, punctate black 
spots; dorsal and anal fins dusky brown to brownish hyaline, often 
with irregular pale brown small spots; barring on body sometimes 
extending slightly on to fin bases; caudal fin brown to grey brown, 
remainder of fin dusky brown to brownish hyaline; fleshy pectoral- 
fin base brown, with scattered pale spots; pectoral fin brownish 
hyaline to hyaline; pelvic fin dusky brown, pale brown distally. 
Probable intermediate phase specimens (Fig. 11): pattern generally 
similar to live coloration, reddish brown and red areas on head, body 
and fins become pale brown; white spots and markings on head, 
body and fins less distinct, becoming pale grey to pale yellowish 
Fig. 11. Anisochromis mascarenensis, SMNS 20933, 25.5 mm SL, 
sexually transforming individual(?), paratype, Réunion. (Photograph by 
P. Hurst) 
brown; dark spots and markings on head, body and fins become dark 
brown to dark grey-brown; indistinct dark spot or ocellated dark spot 
(as in females) variably present on subopercle; body either more-or- 
less uniformly dark grey-brown (except for pale spots) or dark 
grey-brown with narrow pale brown bands; pelvic fins mostly dusky 
brown to dark grey-brown, with broad pale band near fin base and 
pale brown to hyaline distal margin. 
HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION 
Anisochromis mascarenensis is known only from Réunion and 
Mauritius, Mascarene Islands (Fig. 6). It has been collected from 
lagoon reefs with live and dead corals in 0-18 m. Most specimens 
collected by the second author at Réunion emerged from the base of 
live, branched Acropora. 
COMPARISONS WITH OTHER SPECIES 
See under A. kenyae. 
REMARKS 
Anisochromis mascarenensis 1s apparently not common in Mauri- 
tius. The first author and associates made 13 rotenone stations in 
apparently appropriate habitat (around shallow lagoonal reefs) in 
Mauritius, but collected only a single specimen. 
ETYMOLOGY 
The specific epithet alludes to the distribution of the species. 
MATERIAL EXAMINED 
See above under type material. 
Anisochromis straussi Springer, Smith & Fraser, 1977 
Saint Brandon’s Annie 
Figs 6, 7, 8C, 12-13; Tables 1-11 
Anisochromis straussi Springer, Smith & Fraser, 1977: 2, figs la, 1b 
and 2 [type locality: 2 miles east of Raphael Island, Saint Brandon’s 
Shoals; holotype USNM 21642].—Godkin & Winterbottom, 1985: 
634, fig. 1D [osteological and myological comparison]— Mooi, 
1990: 457, tables 1,3, fig. 2e [egg surface morphology]. 
DIAGNOSIS 
The following characters distinguish A. straussi from congeners: 
dorsal-fin rays I,25—27, usually I,26; anal-fin rays I,17—19, usually 
1,18; caudal vertebrae 23-25, usually 24; scales in lateral series 41— 
45, usually 41-44; anterior lateral-line scales 32—39, usually 33-37; 
posterior interorbital pores 1—2; total parietal pores 14-30; and 
dorsal fin of male specimens generally dusky in preservative, with- 
out large dark spot on anterior part of fin. 
DESCRIPTION (Based on 82 specimens, 16.1—28.3 mm SL) 
Dorsal-fin rays I,25—27 (1,26), all segmented rays branched; anal-fin 
rays I,17—19 (1,18), all segmented rays branched; pectoral-fin rays 
