284 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol XVIII, July 1964 
Jour. Ichth., vol. 6, p. 158, fig. 4 (type 
locality: Izu Islands and Bonin Islands). 
Epinephelus truncatus Katayama, I960. Fauna 
Japonica Serranidae (Pisces), pp. 66, 77, 
pi. 47. 
Two specimens: 222 and 238 mm standard 
length, Papeete market, Tahiti, May 28, 1957, 
J. E. Randall. USNM 75400. 
Dorsal rays IX, 16 (injury to rear base of fin 
of one fish); anal rays III, 8; pectoral rays 19; 
pored scales in lateral line 68 (70); vertical 
scale rows from upper end of gill opening to 
base of caudal fin 123 (125); scale rows above 
lateral line 14 or 15; scales below lateral line to 
origin of anal fin 28 or 29; gill rakers 7 + 1 
+ 15 (8 + 1 + 15). 
Caudal fin truncate; greatest depth of body 
at origin of dorsal fin, the depth contained 3 
times in standard length; maxillary reaches 
slightly posterior to a vertical at center of eye; 
middle opercular spine much larger than other 
two, posterior in position, and slightly closer to 
the lower than the upper spine; opercular mem- 
brane moderately pointed, reaching posterior 
to a vertical at origin of pelvic fins; preopercular 
margin rounded, with a slight indentation above 
angle; 42 (48) serrations on vertical margin of 
preopercle, the last four enlarged; dermal flap 
on maxillary (continuous with upper lip) nearly 
reaching upper edge of maxillary; base of 
dorsal and anal fins moderately fleshy; origin of 
dorsal fin slightly posterior to a vertical at upper 
base of pectoral fin; anus about one-third dis- 
tance from pelvic tips (when fins applied to 
abdomen) to origin of anal fin; first dorsal spine 
nearly one-third length of second, and second 
about three-fourths of third; third, fourth, and 
fifth spines the longest and nearly equal in 
length; remaining spines progressively shorter, 
the last only slightly longer than second; front 
of upper jaw with two large adjacent canines on 
each side, each of these pairs separated by a gap 
about equal to half eye diameter; a single row of 
15 small canine teeth along side of upper jaw 
posterior to larger canines; lower jaw with one 
or a pair of large fixed canines on each side at 
front separated by a gap about equal to one- 
third eye diameter; large canines followed by a 
series of about 40 smaller ones extending the 
length of the jaw; bands of slender depressible 
canines medial to fixed canine teeth in both 
upper and lower jaws; teeth on vomer and 
palatines; tongue smooth. 
Color when fresh dull orange, the centers of 
scales light greenish gray (centers now darker 
than edges in preservative); five faint, broad 
vertical bars on body which faded shortly after 
preservation; head mottled with light red and 
orange-brown; edge of orbit, except antero- 
ventrally, bright red (now pale in alcohol); a 
pale blue line adjacent to red rim of orbit and 
surrounding entire eye (blue line now dark in 
alcohol ) ; caudal fin orange-red except olive 
green on upper fifth; dorsal fin olive green, the 
outer third of spinous portion light red basally 
and dark red distally ( now pale with a blackish 
Fig. 2. Holotype of Gracila albomarginata, 295 mm standard length, Borneo (USNM 89985). X ray by 
Victor G. Springer of the U.S. National Museum. 
