Squalidae (Dogfish Sharks) 



Bottom handline fishermen have reported catches of spiny 

 dogfish (Squalus) at depths of 100 m or more though no 

 specimens were available for examination. Likewise, Isistius 

 brasiliensis was not seen by the author though its presence off- 

 shore is indicated by characteristic feeding scars ("plugs" of flesh 

 removed) on tunas and other pelagic fishes. 



Rhy nchobatidae (Narrow-Snouted Shovelnose Rays) 



Rhynchobatus djiddensis (Forsskal, 1775). 



This record is based on photographs taken by Stanley N. 

 Swerdloff in Fagatale Bay at a depth of 30 m. 



Dasyatididae (Sting Rays) 



The Samoan name for rays is fai. 



Dasyatis kuhlii (Miiller and Henle, 1841). Fai-tala, fai-malie. 



Trygon kuhlii— Giinther, 1910. 

 Himantura fai Jordan and Seale, 1906. 



Himantura fai — Jordan and Seale, 1906. 



This species is synonymized under Dasyatis gerrardi by some 



authors. 



Mobulidae (Mantas) 



Some Samoans refer to mantas as fai-malie. No specimens were 

 obtained. 



Myliobatidae (Eagle Rays) 



Aetobatis narinari (Euphrasen, 1790). Fai-pe'a, fai-manu. 

 Aetobatis narinari — Giinther, 1910. 



Elopidae (Ladyfishes) 



Elops hawaiiensis Regan, 1909. 



Elops saurus — Jordan and Seale, 1906. 



Megalopidae (Tarpons) 



Megalops cyprinoides (Broussonet, 1782). Ana analagi, fa. 

 Megalops cyprinoides— Jordan and Seale, 1906. 



Albulidae (Bonefishes) 



Albula sp. Ava. 



Albula conorhynchus — Schmeltz, 1877. 

 Recent authors have treated this genus as monotypic and have 

 identified all specimens as vulpes. Based on his biochemical 

 studies, James B. Shaklee believes there may be as many as six 

 species in the genus. Further research is necessary before Sa- 

 moan specimens can be identified with assurance. 



Anguillidae (Freshwater Eels) 



Members of this family, which are usually found in fresh or 

 brackish water, are known as tuna in Samoa. 



Anguilla auslralis Richardson, 1841. 



Anguilla sidat— Schmeltz, 1869. 



As A. auslralis and A. sidat, Jordan and Seale, 1906 and as 



Muraena auslralis, Schultz, 1943. 

 Anguilla celebesensis Kaup, 1856. 



Anguilla megasioma — Jordan and Seale, 1906. 



As Muraena celebesensis, Schultz, 1943. 

 Anguilla mauri liana Bennett, 1831. 



Anguilla marmorala — Schmeltz, 1866. 



As Muraena mauritiana, Schultz, 1943. 



Moringuidae (Worm Eels) 



Worm eels are called fafa in Samoa. Peter H. J. Castle con- 

 siders "the nomenclature of the Indo-Pacific species of Moringua 

 to be in a state of complete flux" and is unable to identify Sa- 

 moan specimens at present. He concludes that moringuids are 

 sexually dimorphic and that there may be distinctive vertebral 

 numbers for males and females in some species. Samoan eels were 

 collected which key (Schultz's key to the genus Moringua, in 

 Schultz et al. 1953) to each of the species listed below. However, 

 counts of lateral line pores (which correlate with vertebral 

 numbers) in combination with measurements of relative head 

 length and body depth reveal only three groupings for Samoan 

 moringuids. The following list should be considered in the light of 

 these comments. 



Moringua abbreviata (Bleeker, 1863). 



Moringua abbreviata — Schultz, 1943. 

 Moringua bicolor Kaup, 1856 



Moringua bicolor — Schultz, 1943. 



Castle believes that bicolor may be the male of javanica. 

 Moringua javanica (Kaup, 1856). 



Moringua javanica — Giinther, 1910. 

 Moringua macrocephala (Bleeker, 1863). 



Moringua macrocephala — Schultz, 1943. 

 Moringua macrochir Bleeker, 1853. 



Moringua macrochir — Schultz, 1943. 

 Moringua microchir Bleeker, 1853. 



Moringua macrocephala — Jordan and Seale, 1906. 



Xenocongridae (False Morays) 



John E. McCosker assisted with the identifications of 

 Kaupichthys. This genus seems to be unusually well represented in 

 Samoa though its presence was not recorded until 1943. 



Kaupichthys atronasus Schultz in Schultz et al., 1953. 



Kaupichthys brachychirus Schultz in Schultz et al., 1953. 



Kaupichthys hyoproroides (Stromann, 1896). 

 Kaupichthys diodontus — Schultz, 1943. 



Kaupichthys sp. 

 Two specimens collected at Fagasa Bay at 13 m. Pectoral long, 

 about five eye diameters in length; distance from snout to anus 

 about 3.5 in total length. Body of larger specimen gray brown, 

 smaller specimen pale; both overlaid with tiny brown specks. 

 (CAS 40907.) 



Kaupichthys sp. 



Two specimens, 104 and 110 mm TL; collected at Upolu Island 

 at 6 m. Pectoral short, its length about five times in eye 

 diameter; eye large, its diameter about six in head; mouth short 

 with rictus under hind margin of eye; posterior nasal flap lack- 



