BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
164 
fewer than 60 specimens from Honolulu, Hilo, and Kailua, ranging in length from 2.25 to 11 inches. 
Specimens were obtained by the Albatross at Honolulu; Puako Bay, Hawaii; and Laysan Island. 
Holocentrum punctatissimum Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Ill, 215, 1829, Strong Island, Carolines. 
Holocentrum diploxiphus Gunther, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1871, 660, pi. 60 (2figs.), Samoa; Gunther, Fische der Siidsee, iv, 
97, 1875 (Marshall, Samoa, Tahiti, and Paumotu islands; Aneityum). 
Holocenthrus gladispinis Fowler, Proe. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1904, 225, fig. 1, Tahiti. 
Holocentlirus gracilispinis Fowler, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1904, 228, fig. 2, Honolulu. 
Holocentrus diploxiphus, Fowler, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1900, 501 (Sandwich Islands); Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 
XXII, 1902 (Sept. 23, 1903), 441 (Honolulu); Snyder, op. cit. (Jan. 19, 1904), 523 (Honolulu; Puako Bay, Hawaii; 
Laysan Island). 
119. Holocentrus xantherythrus Jordan & Evermann. “Alaihi.” Plate IX. 
Head 2.8 in length; depth 3; eye 3 in head; snout 4; maxillary 2.7; interorbital 5; D. xi-14; 
A. iv, 10; scales 4-47-8. 
Body elongate, compressed, greatest depth about base of ventral; upper profile steep; lower 
profile nearly horizontal; head compressed, its depth about 1.2 in length, width 2.25; eye large, high, 
impinging upon upper profile in front, anterior, its diameter a little less than postocular region; snout 
short, pointed, its upper profile obliquely straight; jaws rather large, subequal; maxillary reaching beyond 
front margin of pupil or to first third of eye, its distal expanded extremity 2.7 in eye; supplemental 
maxillary large; lips rather thick, fleshy; teeth small, short, in rather broad bands in jaws and on 
vomer and palatines; tongue elongate, pointed, free in front; nostrils close together, posterior, a deep 
cavity in front of middle of eye; interorbital space broad, very slightly concave; preorbital with a 
large spine in front, its margins serrate; suborbital narrow, with finely serrate margin; preopercle 
with a large dagger-like spine at lower angle; opercle with 2 similar spines on upper margin, upper 
one much the larger; bones of head with serrate margins; gill-opening rather large, filaments and 
pseudobranchise well developed; gillrakers short, compressed, few, and much shorter than longest 
filaments; fleshy axillary flap small; dorsal spines sharp-pointed, first 3.2 in head, second 2.8, third 
1.9, last 7; anterior dorsal rays high, second 2.4 in head, third 2.2, last 6.5; third anal spine very 
large, not reaching beyond soft rays, 1.7 in head, fourth 2.25; anterior anal rays longest, first 1.75 in 
head, second 1.9, last 6; caudal rather small, deeply forked; pectoral small, 1.6 in head; ventral 
sharp-pointed, 1.4, spine 2; caudal peduncle elongate, compressed, its length 2.1 in head, depth 4; 
scales rather lai-ge, ctenoid; lateral line nearly straight, running obliquely down along upper side of 
caudal peduncle. 
Color in life (No. 02989), bright red, belly more or less silvery; about 10 narrow longitudinal 
silvery stripes, uppermost pinkish; side of head silvery with pinkish shades; a white stripe from 
preorbital to base of preopercular spine; spinous dorsal deep red without streaks or black marking, a 
white spot behind first and second spines at base, tips of third to seventh spines whitish; soft dorsal, 
anal, caudal, and pectoral plain pink; anal with membrane of third spine and first soft ray deep red; 
ventral pink, spine and first soft ray white, second ray deep red anteriorly, posteriorly whitish. One 
example (No. 03161) was rose-red when fresh, with about 10 very faint light rosy streaks along rows 
of scales, these much less distinct than in other species; cheek rosy with 1 broad oblique white band; 
dorsal plain red, the membranes fading to white, no light stripes on dark areas; other fins plain light 
red; membrane of fourth anal spine not darker; iris pink. Another example (field No. 03467) was 
deep crimson when fresh, with 10 narrow, sharply defined, white stripes along rows of scales; an 
oblique white stripe below eye from snout to base of preopercular spine; dorsal clear deep red, clouded 
with darker; soft dorsal, caudal, and anal light bright red; membrane between third and fourth anal 
spines blood red; pectoral deep red; ventrals red, spines white, their membranes blood red. 
Color in alcohol, pale brown or brownish white, washed more or less with silvery or brassy 
white; side with 9 or 10 longitudinal white stripes; fins pale. 
This species is related to Holocentrus ensifer, differing mainly in the presence of 2 well-developed 
spines on the upper margin of the opercle. It is one of the most abundant of the family in Hawaiian 
waters. 
We have 40 specimens from Honolulu and Kailua, ranging in length from 3.75 to 6.5 inches. 
Examples were also obtained by the Albatross at Honolulu. 
Holocentrus xantherythrus Jordan & Evermann, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., XXII, 1902 (Apr. 11, 1903), 175, Honolulu: 
Snyder, op. cit. (Jan. 19, 1904), 523 (Honolulu). 
