94 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
edges of upper jaw extending posteriorly to eye at least; teeth in mandible in a single series, very unequal 
and anteriorly from the symphysis about 4 enlarged canines forming a short inner series; vomer with 
2 large fangs, the posterior the larger; anterior nostril in a short fleshy tube; interorbital space rather 
flat; gill-openings small; body smooth, a few longitudinal wrinkles about branchial region of head; 
head with a number of pores, especially along upper jaw; origin of dorsal well anterior to gill-opening; 
dorsal and anal each rather high; caudal ending in a rounded point. 
Color in alcohol, dark brown, variegated with 4 rows of longitudinal whitish spots, the third or 
series next to lowest not continued to end of tail; a number of similar whitish spots on the vertical 
fins, head, and belly; many blackish blotches of similar size between the white spots on body; edge 
of caudal very narrowly white. 
Of this species, which is abundant in the Hawaiian Islands, we have a more or less complete 
series of specimens, from the young parvibranchialis to the adult layscinus. Our collection contains a 
total of more than 30 specimens, ranging in length from 4.5 to 13.5 inches, and representing the 
following localities: Honolulu; AVaikiki Reef, Honolulu; Cocoanut Island, Hilo; and Hilo. 
Muriena laysana Steindachner, Anzeiger Denks. Ak. Wiss. Wien, XVI, June 27, 1900, 177, Laysan Island (coll. Dr. 
Schaiunsland, 1896-97); Denks. Ak. Wiss. Wien, LXX, 515, pi. VI, fig. 1, 1900, (Laysan). 
Lycodontis parvibranchialis Fowler, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1900 (Nov. 6, 1900), 494, pi. XVIII, fig. 1, Hawaiian Islands. 
Gymnothorax laysanus, Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., XXII, 1902 (Sept. 23, 1903), 425 (Honolulu); Snyder, 1. c. (Jan. 19, 
1904), 518 (Honolulu; Hilo). 
48. Gymnothorax meleagris (Shaw). 
Head 2.3 in trunk; tail exceeding head and trunk by length of mouth; eye 2.67 in snout or 2 in 
interorbital space; snout 5.5 in head; interorbital space 7.25; mouth 2.25. 
Body rather deep and compressed; tail tapering posteriorly; head compressed, pointed; snout 
rather long and pointed, the tip obtusely rounded; eye small, about midway between tip of snout and 
corner of mouth; mouth rather large; jaws about equal, closing, the thick tough lips concealing the 
teeth; teeth strong and sharp, those in anterior part of jaws enlarged and canine-like, the vomerine 
in a single series; nostrils in small tubes at tip of snout, the posterior pair above and anterior to eye; 
interorbital space convex; gill-opening large, eye about 1.4 in its length; skin smooth and thick; a 
few pores on head; origin of dorsal about midway between corner of mouth and gill-opening; caudal 
small and roundly pointed. 
Color in alcohol, dark brown, variegated all over by very numerous small round whitish spots 
with borders darker brown than the body color, those on fins very small; tip of tail narrowly edged 
with white. 
This description is based upon a specimen (No. 03391) 32 inches long, from Honolulu. Another 
small example (No. 03716), from the same locality, is dark brown with a slightly purplish tint; the 
general color between the white spots is more or less mottled with darker. In life the color (No. 
03391) is olive-brown, mottled with darker, scarcely paler below or darker on fins; body covered 
everywhere with punctated spots of yellowish and yellowish white, each of them darker edged; tip 
of tail white; no margin on fins; angle of mouth uucolored; gill-opening dusky; vent dusky. 
This species is apparently not common in the Hawaiian Islands. It was not found by Doctor Jenkins, 
and only 2 examples were secured by us. 
Murxna meleagris Shaw, Nat. Misc., pi. 220, 1809, Brazil? 
Thyrsoidea chlorostigma Kaup, Cat. Apod. Fish., 89, 1856, Seychelles. 
Thyrsoidea meleagris, Kaup, op. cit., 91, 1856 (after Richardson). 
Gymnothorax meleagris, Bleeker, Fauna Madagascar, pi. IV, Poiss., 73, 1874 (Mauritius; Arch. Seychelles); Snyder, Bull. 
U. S. Fish Comm., XXII, 1902 (Jan. 19, 1904), 518 (Honolulu). 
49. Gymnothorax gracilicauda Jenkins. Fig. 23. 
Head 2.75 in trunk; head and trunk 1.3 in tail; eye 1.5 in snout, one in interorbital space; snout 
5.5 in head; interorbital space about 9; mouth 2.5. 
Body compressed, rather deep; tail long and tapering to narrow tip; head elongate, compressed, 
little swollen above, blunt in front; snout rather long, compressed, convex above, tip blunt; eye mod- 
erate, a little nearer corner of mouth than tip of snout; mouth rather large, horizontal, jaws equal, 
not completely closing; teeth large, powerful, biserial in upper jaw, uniserial in mandible; inner series 
