FISHES OF HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 
\i i 
Family LXIX. LAB RULE.—The Wrasse-Fishes. 
Body oblong or elongate, covered with cycloid scales, lateral line well developed, continuous or 
interrupted, often angularly bent; mouth moderate, terminal; premaxillaries protractile; maxillaries 
without supplemental bone, slipping under membranaceous edge of the preorbital; anterior teeth in 
jaws usually very strong and canine-like; teeth of jaws separate or soldered together at base, not 
forming a continuous plate; no teeth on vomer or palatines; lower pharyngeals completely united into 
one bone, without median suture, this bone T-shaped or Y-shaped, its teeth conical or tubercular; lips 
thick, longitudinally plicate; nostrils round, with 2 openings on each side; dorsal tin continuous, the 
spinous portion usually long, its spines rather slender, to 20 in number; anal similar to soft dorsal, 
with 2 to 6 spines; ventrals thoracic, i, 5, inserted below the pectorals or slightly in advance of them; 
branchiostegals 5 or 6; pseudobranchia; well developed; gills 3J, the slit behind the last arch small or 
obsolete; gill-membranes somewhat connected, sometimes joined to the narrow isthmus; air-bladder 
absent; no pyloric cceca. Species chiefly of the tropical seas, living among rocks, coral reefs, or kelp. 
Many of them are brilliantly colored, and some are valued as food-fishes. Most of them feed upon 
mollusks, the dentition being adapted for crushing shells. 
a. Lateral line continuous. 
b. Scales nit her large, not more than 40 in lengthwise series. 
c. Posterior canines present. 
d. Head with scales; dorsal spines xir. 
c. Teeth of jaws in single series. 
/. Preoperele usually finely serrate; caudal lunate... .. Ltpidnplois. p. 27S 
ff. Preoperele entire; caudal rounded . I ’erriculus, p. 280 
cc. Teeth of jaws in 2 series . Ycrrcd, p. 281 
dd. Head scaleless; dorsal spines ix. 
g. Body oblong, not deep. 
h. Canines in front of upper jaw very small, close set; those of lower jaw forming a cutting edge. 
SteUiojulis, p. 283 
fdi. Canines in front of jaws strong, not forming a cutting edge . Halichfjsres , p. 285 
gg. Body rather short and deep . Macraphanjngodon , p. 288 
cc. Posterior canines not present. 
i. Snout much produced . Goniphosus, p. 289 
ii. Snout not much produced. 
j. Dorsal spines ix. 
k. Body rather deep .-. Anampaca, p. 291 
kk. Body elongate ./’.sv udojulis, p. 294 
jj. Dorsal spines vm . Thalassomu , j>. 295 
bb. Scales smaller, more than 40 in lengthwise scries. 
1. Posterior canines present. 
m. Scales small, more than 70 in lengthwise scries. . Julia, p. 304 
mm. Scales larger, 50 to 60 in lengthwise series .. Coris, p. 310 
U. Posterior canines not present . Cheilio, p. 314 
(«i. Lateral line interrupted. 
>/. First 2 dorsal spines not conspicuously removed from the third. 
o. Scales large, about 20 to 30 in lengthwise series. 
p. Preoperele serrate; dorsal spines xi . Cirrhilabrus, p. 315 
pp. Preoperele entire; dorsal spines ix (rarely x). 
q. Teeth in jaws in one series. 
r. Canines of upper jaw bent outward and backward. Pseud oc/uilinu$, p. 316 
it. Canines not bent outward and backward. . Cheilinus, p. 319 
qq. Teeth in jaws in many series. Voraculic/dhys, p. 322 
oo. Scales small, more than 70 in lengthwise series.. Cgmolutcs, p. 327 
nn. First 2 dorsal spines more or less conspicuously removed from the third. 
s. Two anterior spines of dorsal separate from others and placed as a separate tin on 
nape . Iniislius , p. 328 
88. Two anterior spines of dorsal removed,* but not wholly detached, there being more 
or less of membranous connection. 
t. Cheeks with small scales. Ilcmiplcronvtus, p. 33: 
it. Cheeks scaleless. Xyrichlhys , p. 33 i 
