FISHES OF HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 
469 
spines on side of snout above anterior nostril; preocular, supraocular, postocular, tympanic, .parietal, 
and nuchal spines present; a series of spines running across cheek below eye; several large spines on 
lower part of preopercle; several spines on opercle; side of head above with many small spines; supra- 
scapular with several small spines; dorsal spines rather strong; third longest, 3.75 in head; last dorsal 
spine 3.8; second dorsal ray 2.7; second anal spine enlarged, a little longer than the third, 3.4 in head; 
first anal ray longest, 2.4 in head; caudal rounded, 2 in head; pectoral large, lower rays thick, fleshy, 
curved inward; sixth pectoral ray 1.7 in head, lowest 3.7; base of pectoral broad, 2.25; ventral spine 
strong, 3.1 in head, second ray longest, 1.9; the innermost ray joined by a broad membrane to belly; 
caudal peduncle compressed, its depth 4 in head; head and body with many fringed fleshy flaps; 
scales moderately large, ctenoid. 
Color in life (field No. 03382), excessively mottled, streaked, and spotted; body dark purplish 
brown or claret shaded, the spaces gray tinged with sulphury yellow; head all dull brown, flaps colored 
like the space about; belly to axillary region whitish with reticulations and irregular marks of yellowish 
olive; axillary region wine-brown, finely mottled with yellowish white in streaks and spots; a few 
round black spots behind and in axil; inside of pectoral with a large jet-black blotch at upper part of 
base, bordered with orange; around this a large yellow area, then 6 oblong black spots on the mem- 
Fig. 206 . — Scorpsmopsis gibbosa (Bloch & Schneider); after Gunther. 
branes of upper rays above middle, then a broad rose-red band, fading into violet below, the rim gray; 
ventrals bright brown and gray, red shaded on inner face; inside of branch iostegals salmon-color, 
striped with white, the membranes yellow: membranes of upper jaw salmon-color mottled with light 
yellow; tip of upper jaw orange, with a golden ridge dividing a triangular spot of indigo-blue between 
vomer and premaxillary; a golden line on each side in front of palatines; tip of tongue light yellow; 
a triangular indigo-colored spot behind teeth of tip of lower jaw; a golden streak behind it on membrane 
before tongue; lower lip salmon-color, especially behind, where hidden. 
Color in alcohol, dark purplish, beautifully mottled with dusky and darker; head mottled above 
with dusky; fins with many fine dusky and brown wavy lines; base of pectoral both outside and 
inside brownish, the latter variegated with white and blackish brown; outer portion of inside of 
pectoral covering first 5 rays with a series of broad blackish spots; ventrals more or less brownish, 
variegated with gray and whitish; body whitish, mottled with pale brown; edges of buccal folds, 
inside of mouth, deep yellow; a deep blue blotch directly behind teeth in front of each jaw. 
This species was obtained both at Honolulu and Hilo, and appears to be not uncommon. Our 
collections contain 8 excellent examples, 2 from Hilo and 8 from Honolulu, 6 to 9.5 inches long. 
Scorpama gibbosa Bloch & Schneider, Syst. Ichth., 192, pi. 41, 1801, “ habitat in America.” Gunther, Fische der Siidsee, III, 
79, pi. liii, 1874 (Pelew, Society and Navigator islands); Steindachner, Denks. Ak. Wiss. Wien, LXX, 1900, 491 
(Honolulu). 
