Groupers of Tahiti — RANDALL 
295 
Fig. 12. Holotype of Epinephelus tauvina (Forskal), 171 mm standard length, Red Sea (Z. M. Cph. 18). 
Photo supplied by J0rgen Nielsen of the Universitetets Zoologiske Museum in Copenhagen. 
Smith and Smith (1963:15, pi. 141) de- 
scribed Epinephelus salonotus from the western 
Indian Ocean. The type, a 10-inch specimen, 
was taken at Delgado, East Africa. The illustra- 
tion depicts a 2 -ft specimen from the Seychelles. 
Although the description is only 2Vl lines in 
length and the figure small, there seems little 
doubt that the species is tauvina. 
SUMMARY 
1. Cephalopholis alhomarginatus Fowler and 
Bean, known previously from the East Indies 
and Philippines (original description) and the 
western Indian Ocean, is here reported from 
Tetiaroa, Society Islands. It is reclassified in the 
new genus Gracila , distinct from Cephalopholis 
principally in having a shorter head length (3.1 
in standard length) and an emarginate caudal 
fin. The related Aethaloperca may be separated 
from Gracila by its steeper head profile, deeper 
body, more than two rows of teeth at the side 
of the lower jaw, and larger anal spines. 
2. The range of Epinephelus truncatus Kata- 
yama is extended from the Izu and Bonin islands 
( type locality ) to Tahiti. 
3. Sen anus roseus Cuvier and Valenciennes, 
heretofore regarded as a synonym of Cepha- 
lopholis aurantius (Cuvier and Valenciennes),, 
is synonymous with Variola louti (Forskal) 
(1775). 
4. Cephalopholis ohtusaurus Evermann and 
Seale, represented previously only by the type 
from the Philippines, is resurrected from the 
synonymy of C. aurantius and recorded from 
Tahiti. 
5. A second specimen of the rare grouper 
Epinephelus socialis (Gunther) is recorded from 
Tahiti. The first, the largest of three syntypes in 
the British Museum, is designated lectotype, 
thus restricting the type locality to Tahiti. 
6. The name Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (For- 
skal ) has been applied to either of two common 
groupers with reddish-brown spots and a black 
saddle on the caudal peduncle. It is here re- 
stricted to the species with 18 or 19 pectoral 
rays, 17-20 gill rakers on the lower limb of the 
first arch ( including rudiments but not raker at 
angle ) , a more marked indentation in the profile 
of the head, and a larger mouth. The oldest 
available name for the other species, which has 
16 or 17 pectoral rays and 15 or 16 gill rakers 
on the lower limb, is Epinephelus microdon 
(Bleeker) (1856). A neotype of fuscoguttatus: 
is described. 
