Groupers of Tahiti — Randall 
287 
border of caudal fin, its width about one-third 
diameter of pupil; narrow blackish margin on 
rear half of soft portion of dorsal and all of 
soft portion of anal fins; a trace of dark pigment 
marginally on tips of pelvic fins. 
Cuvier and Valenciennes described the color 
of the body and fins of aurantius as orange-red, 
without spots or bands. Bleeker (1873-1876:37, 
pi. 248, fig. 3 ) portrayed the species in color. It 
is rose-orange with small round blue spots on 
the head and the back beneath the spinous 
portion of dorsal fin; there is a broad yellow 
posterior border on the medial fins; the caudal 
fin has a black line within this yellow border. 
The Tahiti specimen was finally identified as 
Cephalopholis obtusaurus Evermann and Seale 
(1907), after examination of the holotype in 
the U.S. National Museum. This species has not 
been recognized by authors after Evermann and 
Seale. Fowler and Bean ( 1930 ) , Herre ( 1953 ) , 
and Katayama (I960) have all placed it in the 
synonymy of aurantius; however, obtusaurus 
appears to be valid. 
Cephalopholis obtusaurus 
Figs. 5, 6. 
Cephalopholis obtusaurus Evermann and 
Seale, 1907. Bull. Bur. Fisheries, vol. 26, p. 
77, fig. 12 (type locality: Bacon, Sorsogon, 
Luzon, Philippine Islands). 
One specimen: 185.5 mm standard length, 
228 mm total length, Papeete market, Tahiti,. 
May 28, 1957, J. E, Randall, usnm 175409. 
Dorsal rays IX, 15; anal rays III, 9; pectoral 
rays 17; pored lateral-line scales 52 (includes 
3 beyond hypural ) ; vertical scale rows from 
upper end of gill opening to end of hypural 103; 
gill rakers 7+1 + 13. 
Depth of body 2.77 in standard length; head 
length 2.50 in standard length; width of body 
2.3 in head length; eye 5.1 in head length; 
bony interorbital nearly flat, the bony width 7.8 
in head length; least depth of caudal peduncle 
2.74 in head length; pectoral fins 3.83 in stand- 
ard length; pelvic fins 4.52 in standard length, 
the tips reaching anus; third dorsal spine the 
longest; its length 3.36 in head length; first 
dorsal spine half as long as third; tenth dorsal 
soft ray the longest, its length 2.24 in head 
length; second anal spine the longest, its length 
3.04 in head length; fifth anal soft ray the long- 
Fig. 5. Holotype of Cephalopholis obtusaurus Evermann and Seale, 191 mm standard length, Philippine 
Islands (USNM 55910). 
