418 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
The above description based chiefly upon No. 03325, a specimen 9 inches long, from Honolulu, 
where it is common. The specimens from the offshore islands of Mexico, called Melichthys bispindSus, 
seem to be the same. 
We have 11 examples, 4.75 to 11.75 inches long, all from Honolulu. Recorded also from Johnston 
Island. 
Balistes radula Solander in Richardson, Voy. II. M. S. Samarang, Fishes, 21, 1848, no locality. 
Melichthys ringens Bleeker, Atlas, v, 108, pi. 220, fig. 2, 1865; East Indies, not of Linnteus. 
Batistes buniva, Gunther, Cat,., VIII, 227, 1870; Streets, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 7, 56, 1877 (Honolulu), not of Lacdpede nor 
of Risso; Smith & Swain, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., v, 1882, 140 (Johnston Island). 
Batistes ( Melanichthys ) buniva, Steindachner, Denks. Ak. Wiss. Wien, LXX, 1900, 517 (Honolulu and Laysan). 
Batistes ( Parabalist.es ) ringens, Steindachner, Denks. Ak. Wiss. Wien, LXX, 1900, 517 (Laysan Island). 
Melichthys bispinosus Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1890, 125, Clarion and Socorro Islands. 
Melichthys radula, Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., XXII, 1902 (Sept. 23, 1903), 483 (Honolulu); Snyder, op. cit. (Jan. 19, 1904), 
534 (Hawaiian Islands). 
Family LXXV1I. MONACANTHIDrE. 
Body much compressed, covered with very small rough scales, forming a rough or velvety covering; 
males sometimes with spines on the caudal peduncle, these either robust or needle-like. Upper jaw 
with a double series of incisor-like teeth, 6 in the outer and 4 in the inner series; lower jaw with 6 
similar teeth in a single series; first dorsal with a single strong spine and generally a rudimentary one 
behind it; second dorsal long, similar to anal ; ventral fins reduced to a single osseous, fixed or movable, 
small appendage at the end of the long pelvic bone, this appendage often rudimentary or entirely 
absent; no barbel; vertebrae 7+11 to 14=18 to 21. Herbivorous shore fishes of the warm seas closely 
allied to the Bctlistidse, differing chiefly in having the first dorsal represented by a single spine, behind 
which is sometimes a rudiment; scales small, spinigerous, the skin mostly rough velvety. The species 
are mostly small in size and are not used for food, having little flesh and that of a bitterish taste. 
a. Pubic bone with a small spine at its end; gillopening short, nearly vertical; dorsal and anal moderate, each with fewer 
than 40 rays. 
b. Ventral spine immovable; dorsal spine barbed or not Cantherines, p. 418 
bb. Ventral spine movable; dorsal spine armed with strong retrorse barbs, usually in 2 series, 
c. Ventral flap only moderately developed, not reaching beyond pelvic spine; no spines on caudal peduncle. 
Stephanolepis, p. 420 
aa. Pubic bone without spine at its end; gill-openings long, oblique; dorsal and anal long, each of 40 or more rays. 
d. Caudal fin elongate, the angles rounded; upper profile of snout concave; coloration not uniform ... Osbeelcia, p. 422 
dd. Caudal fin short, subtruncate, anterior profile convex Alutera, p. 423 
Genus 189. CANTHERINES Swainson. 
A/ 
This genus differs from Monacanthus chiefly in having the vental spine immovably ankylosed to 
the pelvis. The barbs on the dorsal spine, if distinct, are usually in 4 series; vertebrae 19 or 20. In 
the genus Cantherines the gradation is perfect from those species without barbs ( Cantherines ) to those 
with 4 equidistant series of strong barbs (Pseudomonacanthus) . 
Cantherines Swainson, Nat. Hist. Fishes, etc., II, 327, 1839 ( nasutus= sandwichiensis ). 
Pseudomonacanthus Bleeker, Atlas, V, 134, tab. 228, fig. 2, 1865 ( macrurus ). 
Lio monacantlius Bleeker, Ned. Tydskr. Dierk., Ill, 13, 1866 ( pardalis ). 
Canthorhinus Gill; corrected spelling. 
a. D. 1-36; A. 30; no white spots sandwichiensis, p. 418 
aa. D. n-38; A. 33; body everywhere with round white spots albopunctalus, p. 420 
342. Cantherines sandwichiensis (Quoy & Gaimard). “O’ ililepa;” “Ohua.” Fig. 183. 
Head 3.3; depth 1.9; eye 4.4; snout 1.1; interorbital 3.65; I), i— 36; A. 30; P. 14. 
Body oblong, moderately elevated; snout, long; mouth low, below axis of body; anterior profile 
rising in a slightly concave line to dorsal spine, a little convex in front of eye; from dorsal spine to 
caudal peduncle the dorsal outline is in a long low curve; ventral outline slightly convex from tip of 
snout to pelvic plate, thence in a straight line to origin of anal fin; base of anal gently and evenly 
rounded; upper jaw with an outer series of 8 strong close-set incisors, the 6 anterior ones rather 
pointed, the lateral one on each side much broader, lower jaw with a single series of 6 similar teeth 
fitting inside the upper in the closed mouth; teeth white, the tips brownish; lips thin; eye high up, 
