338 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
this a large milk-white patch beyond tip of pectoral; a violet border around the white, blackish above 
the yellow. 
Color in alcohol, dirty yellowish white, dusky above; head with some purplish reflections; a thin 
purplish line downward from anterior edge of orbit to tip of maxillary, a similar but less distinct line, 
from humeral region downward to subopercle; a yellowish white blotch on side above base of pectoral, 
in the base of which are 2 or 3 small purplish spots; a large white area on middle of side under and 
above tip of pectoral, separated from the yellowish blotch by purplish brown on 2 or 3 scales; a black 
spot covering the larger part of 3 scales on side above lateral line under base of first 3 dorsal rays, back 
at base of last dorsal rays Somewhat dusky; anterior portion of dorsal fin dusky olivaceous, soft dorsal, 
anal and caudal pale yellowish crossed by narrow, wavy, pale purplish lines; ventrals and pectoral 
plain yellowish white. 
A handsome fish, rather common about Honolulu. The type and 5 cotypes, all from Honolulu, 
range from 6.5 to 9.75 inches in length. 
Xyrichthys niveilatus Jordan & Evermann, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., XXII, 1902 (April 11, 1903), 194, Honolulu (type, No. 
50646, U. S. Nat. Mus.). 
Family LXX. SCARID/F. 
Body oblong, moderately compressed, covered with large cycloid scales as in the Labridse.; mouth 
moderate, terminal; teeth in the jaws more or less coalescent, at least at the base; lower pharyngeals 
much enlarged, united in a concave or spoon-shaped body, their teeth broadest transversely and truncate, 
arranged in mosaic; dorsal continuous, its formula usually ix, 10; anal ii, 9; 23 to 25 scales in the 
lateral line; vertebrae about ll-f-14=25; sexes similarly colored, and the coloration almost always 
brilliant; fin rays essentially the same throughout the group, and the squamation varying little except 
on the head. 
Herbivorous fishes of the tropical seas, often of large size, especially abundant about coral reefs. 
Little valued as food in America, the flesh being soft and pasty; but highly prized among the natives 
of the Hawaiian Islands, especially when eaten raw. The species in the various genera are very 
closely related, being distinguished chiefly by the coloration and the dentition, both series of charac- 
ters being highly specialized. 
Sparisomating: 
a. Lower pharyngeal broader than long, flattish or basin-shaped; gill-membranes broadly joined to the isthmus, not 
forming a fold cross it; lateral line subcontinuous; scales about head few and large, those on cheek in one row; 
lower jaw projecting: teeth whitish or rosy. 
b. Teeth in each jaw in 3 or 4 series, all imbricated in quincunx order on the dental plate, to which they are adnate 
by the posterior face; cutting edge of each jaw formed by teeth. 
c. Dorsal spines flexible; teeth more or less distinct, at least anteriorly Calotomus, p. 338 
cc. Dorsal spines stiff t Scaridea , p. 343 
Scaring: 
aa. Lower pharyngeal spoon-shaped, much longer than broad; teeth of jaws fully coalesced, each jaw divided by a 
distinct median suture; gill-membranes forming a fold across the isthmus; dorsal spines flexible; lateral line 
interrupted behind, beginning again lower down on the peduncle of the tail; scales about the head rather numer- 
ous, those on cheeks in two or more series. 
d. Teeth pale, rosy or greenish Callyodon, p. 345 
dd. Teeth deep blue Pseudoscarus, p. 358 
Genus 168. CALOTOMUS Gilbert. 
Teeth distinct, equal, imbricated in regular oblique rows in both jaws, wholly concealing the 
dental plates, to the anterior edge of which they are affixed; cutting edge of each jaw formed by the 
outer teeth, the dental plate not reaching the edge, and visible only from within; lips double for a 
short distance only; scales of cheek in 1 row; lateral line continuous; base of dorsal and anal with 
scaly sheaths; dorsal spines 9, soft and flexible; gill-membranes broadly joined to isthmus. 
Large species of the Pacific, allied to Cryplotomus, but differing in the arrangement of the teeth. 
Calotomus Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1890, 70 (xenodon). 
