344 
large semicircular mass of fused teeth in cen- 
ter of upper jaw just posterior to upper ca- 
nines. This mass is as long as the upper ca- 
nines with which it is in contact basally. It is 
indented anterocentrally. An inconspicuous 
band of small teeth may be seen anteriorly in 
the lower jaw. A canine tooth at angle of jaw. 
Color in alcohol of Moorea specimens: 
light greenish brown, shading anteriorly on 
head to light bluish gray, with a black band 
running from mouth through eye on to body; 
on the body the band broadens as it passes 
posteriorly and becomes progressively indis- 
tinct until, in the median part of the body 
beyond the tip of the outstretched pectoral 
fin, it is barely discernible or absent; pos- 
teriorly it reappears, becoming black on 
caudal peduncle and caudal fin (which is 
completely black except for upper and lower 
edges and the posterior rounded corners 
which are white); a broad black middorsal 
band runs posteriorly from tip of snout and 
gradually lightens until it disappears at rear 
base of spinous portion of dorsal fin; a di- 
agonal dusky streak from chin across cheek 
below eye to lower base of pectoral fin (ob- 
scure in 45 mm. paratype); spinous portion 
of dorsal fin dusky basally, pale distally; anal 
fin and soft portion of dorsal fin pale with a 
dark horizontal streak anteriorly located about 
two-thirds the distance from base to margin 
of fins; paired fins pale except for dark edges 
of pectoral fin rays. 
The following color note from life was 
made of the holotype: body from region of 
end of pectoral fin to caudal peduncle orange; 
caudal peduncle and caudal fin (except for 
upper and lower edges which are pale-blue 
violet) jet black; a black band passing from 
snout through eye, broadening on to an- 
terior portion of body and merging gradually 
with dusky orange on median part of body; a 
similar black band from snout to anterior 
third of back where it also merges with the 
orange; a narrow blackish line from slightly 
ventral and posterior to rictus to lower base 
of pectoral fin; narrow band on head between 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XII, October, 1958 
midlateral and middorsal bands chartreuse; 
head below midlateral band chartreuse, shad- 
ing to pale blue ventrally; lips edged in bright 
red; abdomen pale blue shading to dull pale 
yellow posteriorly; dorsal fin orange basally, 
hyaline distally (only tips of interspinous 
membranes are hyaline whereas the outer half 
of the soft portion of the fin is clear) ; anal fin 
divisible by color into three lengthwise bands, 
light blue basally, orange in the middle, and 
hyaline distally; paired fins pale except for 
dark edges of pectoral rays. 
The brightness of the life color of the holo- 
type had already faded when the photograph 
of Plate 1 was taken. The orange of the body 
and especially the yellow green of the head 
were more brilliant when the fish was alive. 
The specimen from Caroline Atoll, al- 
though exhibiting the same general color in 
alcohol, is more melanistic than the ones from 
Moorea. The median portion of the body is 
dusky, almost blackish, and the white mar- 
gins of the caudal fin are narrower and re- 
stricted to the outer half of the fin. 
The life colors were approximately the 
same. The color on the head was noted in 
life as dusky iridescent green; the middle of 
the body was dusky orange and the abdomen 
dusky yellow; the narrow band on the cheek 
was blackish orange; the edges of the caudal 
fin were hyaline violet; the lower lip was 
bright red and the upper mottled with red; 
the dorsal and anal fins were orange basally 
and hyaline distally, and the paired fins pale 
with a purplish hue. 
One pair of L. rubrolabiatus at Caroline 
Atoll was seen in company with a juvenile 
which was iridescent blue with a broad mid- 
lateral black band. One of another pair 
showed intermediate coloration — the anterior 
half was bright blue with the black median 
band, and an orange-brown area was just 
appearing in the middle of the body. 
L. rubrolabiatus is the smallest of the four 
species of Labroides. Individuals seen under- 
water rarely appear even slightly larger than 
the largest specimens collected. An excep- 
