102 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
wardly directed canines, the anterior ones somewhat enlarged, those on tip of jaw movable; anterior 
nostril in a long tube, its length about half diameter of eye, situated near tip of snout just above lip; 
posterior nostril without tube, just above anterior edge of eye; pores on sides of jaws inconspicuous. 
Origin of dorsal fin about midway between gill-opening and angle of mouth, its height about equal to 
length of snout; anal similar to soft dorsal, but much lower; tail moderately slender and pointed; a series 
of inconspicuous pores along middle of side; gill-opening a long oval slit exceeding diameter of orbit. 
Color in alcohol, pale brown or whitish, sprinkled with ragged or dendritic brown spots formed 
more or less into irregular vertical blotches or crossbands; margins of fins narrowly creamy white or 
yellowish, that of the anal much wider; corner of mouth and space about gill-opening deep blackish- 
brown; about 5 longitudinal blackish-brown grooves on lower side of head; under side of lower jaw 
with 2 blackish longitudinal lines which meet at an acute angle under chin; throat and belly creamy 
white, with few scattered brownish markings; sides and top of head whitish, with small, sparingly 
scattered, irregular brownish spots most numerous around and between the eyes. 
This species is related to G. kidako (Sehlegel), from which it differs much fin coloration, being 
much paler and less reticulated, the angle of the mouth with more black, the gill-opening surrounded 
Fig. 28 . — Gymnothorax steindachneri Jordan & Evermann; after Steindachner. 
by a broad black area (nearly or quite absent in kidako), and the white border to the dorsal fin much 
more distinct. 
The specimens from Laysan, which Dr. Steindachner identified with Muriena flavimarginata 
Riippell, and of which he gives a good figure, evidently belong to this species. As suspected by Dr. 
Steindachner, the species is quite different from G. flavimarginatus, of which we have examined several 
specimens from Pedang, on the west coast of Sumatra, from Samoa, and from Hawaii. 
This description is based upon a specimen (No. 03775) 2 feet long, from Honolulu. (Type, No. 
50616, U. S. Nat. Mus.) The species is known from the 2 specimens which Dr. Steindachner had 
from Laysan, 8 obtained by Jenkins in 1889 at Honolulu, 1 by the Albatross at Honolulu in 1891, 3 
secured by us at Honolulu in 1901, at least 1 recorded by Mr. Snyder from Honolulu in 1902, and 
others recently sent us from Honolulu by Mr. Berndt. 
Murasna flavomarginata var., Steindachner, Denks. Ak. Wiss. Wien, LXX, 1900, 511, pi. VI, fig. 3 (Laysan); not of Ruppell 
Gymnothorax steindachneri Jordan & Evermann, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., XXII, 1902 (Apr. 11, 1903), 166, Honolulu; Jenkins, 
op. cit. (Sept. 23, 1903), 426 (Honolulu); Snyder, op. cit. (Jan. 19, 1901), 518 (Honolulu). 
60. Gymnothorax hilonis Jordan & Evermann. Plate 18. 
Head 8.2 in length; depth 16; eye 7 in head; snout 6; interorbital 6; gape 2.4; distance from tip 
of snout to vent 1.2 in distance from vent to tip of tail. 
Body rather short, moderately compressed, the tail more compressed and bluntly pointed; head 
short, the nape swollen; interorbital space broad; a distinct median groove from near tip of snout to 
origin of dorsal; angle of mouth posterior to eye a distance equal to eye’s diameter; lower jaw but 
slightly curved, shorter than the upper; front of upper jaw with 3 short, bluntly pointed, movable 
teeth; side of upper jaw with a single series of short, pointed canines directed backward; shaft of 
vomer with short, blunt teeth; lower jaw on each side with a single series of rather long, pointed 
canines, longest in front and curved backward; anterior nostril in a long tube, about 2 in eye, near tip 
of snout just above lip; posterior nostril small, round, without tube, situated just above anterior part 
