s e n t in th e sp e c im e n . P a la tin e te e lh n in e , in o n e u n u su a lly
s h o r t row, th e t h r e e c e n tr a l o n e s h o o k e d a n d s h a p e d lik e th e
n a s a l o n e s , b u t m u c h sm a lle r ; th e th re e a n te r io r a n d th re e
p o s te r io r o n e s s till sm a lle r a n d c y lin d ric a l, w ith n o t ve ry
a c u te p o in ts . V om e rin e te e th in tw o row s , we ll s e p a r a te d
a n te r io r ly , b u t m e e tin g b e h in d ; e a c h row c o n ta in in g a b o u t
n in e s h o r t c y lin d r ic a l te e lh , w ith ro u n d e d c u sp s . T h e s e
rows a re twic e a s lo n g a s th e p a la tin e row. T h e low e r ja iv
is a rm e d with tw o row s o f t e e lh , th e o u te r o n e c o n s is tin g
o f sm a ll low te e th w ith fla tly ro u n d e d c u sp s . T h e in n e r
row c om m e n c e s a n te r io r ly with tw o ta lle r a u d s to u te r c y l
in d r ic a l t e e th , h a v in g s lig h tly c om p re s s e d c u sp s , followed
b y tw o te e th s till m o re ta ll, w h ic h a re s tro n g ly h o o k e d
b a c k , a n d h a v e a c u te c u sp s a n d p o s te r io r b a s a l lo b e s ;
a fte r w h ic h th e r e is a c lo s e s e t, e v e n s e rie s o f c y lin d ric a l
te e lh , h a v in g ro u n d e d o r s lig h tly c om p re s s e d c u sp s , c o n sid
e r a b ly a b o v e th o s e o f th e o u te r row . T h e d e n titio n o f
th i s sp e c ie s h a s a re s em b la n c e to th a t o f M . v a r ie g a ta ,
b u t d iffe rs iu h a v in g th e s tro n g ly h o o k e d a c u te te e th . T h e
c o r r e s p o n d in g te e th o f v a r ie g a ta a re m o re o b tu s e , a n d b u t
v e ry s lig h tly cu rv e d . In th e o n ly sp e c im e n we h a v e s e en ,
- w h ic h is a d r ie d o n e , th e v e n t is a b o u t o n e tw e n ty -fo u rth
p a n o f th e w h o le le n g th p a s t th e m id d le .
T h e m a rk in g s a re w e ll r e p r e s e n te d in R lip p e ll’s figure
o f o p h is , b u t a s h e d e s c r ib e s th e te e th a s c u ttin g , which
s c a r c e ly a g r e e s with o u r sp e c im e n , I c a n n o t fe e l c o n f id e n t
in q u o tin g h im . M . s im ilis , p . 83, wh ich h a s s u b u la te a n d
la n c e o la te t e e th , c lo s e ly re s em b le s b o th th is fish a n d R iip p
e ll’s d raw in g in its m a rk in g s , b u t i t s g a p e is c o n s id e ra b ly
la rg e r . T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r o f th e d r ie d sk in o f th e B r itis h
M u s e um sp e c im e n h a s a y e llow ish l in t, a n d is m o ttle d
w ith sm a ll b row n ish -b la c k s p e c k s , o f v a rio u s forms a n d
o ften c o n flu e n t, a n d b y tw o rows o f la rg e b la c k m a rk s ,
w h ic h a re m o re o r le s s d o ite d w ith s p e c k s o f th e p a le
g ro u n d c o lo u r. T h e r e a re a b o u t tw e n ty -o n e o r tw e n ty -tw o
s p o ts in e a ch row , th e row s to u c h in g th o s e o f th e o p p o s ite
sid e s o f th e fish o n its d o rs a l a n d v e n tra l su rfa c e s . T h e
e d g e o f th e a n a l is p a le . T h e v e n t is a b o u t a tw e n ty -
fo u rth p a x t o f th e wh o le le n g th p a s t th e m id d le .
L e n g ih in c h e s .
H ab. M a u ritiu s . R e d S e a ?
M u r æ n a v a r ie g a t a . J . R . F o r s te r .
-------------------------- ? Seha Thes. 69, f. l , 17.
M u ru n a geograpkica. Banks et Solander, MSS., 1769, Icon. Pict.
Parkinsonii, 3. (“ Pepedho.”)
E ch id na variegata. Icon. ined. Georg. Forster, Bibl. Banks. 172.
An. 1777.
“ E ch id n a variegata, J . R, Forster, Enchiridion, 31, Genus 5. An.
1788.” Id . Animal cura Licbtenst. p. 181. An. 1844.
3fura:na nebulosa, Thunb. dissert, p. 7, tab. 1, f. 2. An. 1789.
GymnoOurrax nebulostis, Bl. Sciin. p. 528. An. 1801.
Gymnothorax echidna. Id. p. 526.
Murcena, Hardw. Icon. ined. Mus. Brit. pi. 306.
P la t e X L V IL , figs. 1— 5 , a n d figs. I I — 16.
A b o u t tw e lv e m a rg in a l, sc a rc e ly a c u te n a s a l te e th , some
o f th em very s lig h tly c u rv e d b a c kw a rd s , ra n g e d in a n oval,
w h ich is c om p le te d b e h in d b y th e v om e rin e te e th . T h e
m e s ia l lin e o f th e d isk is o c c u p ie d b y two s to u t, c o n ic a l,
su b a c u te te e th , r a lh e r ta lle r th a n th e o th e rs ; a n d th e vomer
is a rm ed b y tw o row s o f low te e th , h a v in g s lig h tly c om p
r e s s e d c u sp s . T lie row s m e e t in a p o in t p o s te rio rly , a n d
d iv e rg e a n te rio rly , on th e a n g le s o f th e v om e r, so a s to fill
u p th o p o s te r io r p a r t o f th e n a s a l ova l. P a la tin e te e th
a b o u t u in e , sm a ll, very c lo s e ly s e t, in a s h o r t ev en row,
a n d h a v in g som ew h a t c om p re s s e d o r b lu n tly c h is e l- sh a p e d ,
som ew h a t o b liq u e c u sp s . M a n d ib le a rm e d la te ra lly , on
e a c h lim b , b y tw e lv e o r th ir te e n ev en te e lh , w ith fla ttish
o r ro u n d e d c row ns a n d c y lin d ric a l b o d ie s . I n som e s p e c
im e n s a n e x te r io r row ru n s a lo n g th e w h o le lim b , in
o th e rs it is sh o rte r, a n d in o th e rs a g a in i t c a n b e tra c e d
on ly in th e a n te r io r q u a r te r o f th e jaw . T h e to o th n e x t
th e sym p h y s is , s ta n d in g in th is e x te r io r row , is la rg e r th a n
th e r e s t, a n d is followed b y tw o o r th r e e t a lle r c o n ic a l in n
e r te e th , s e em in g ly a c o n tin u a tio n o f th e p r in c ip a l la te ra l
row , b u t p la c e d w id e r ap a rt.
T h i s is e ith e r a n a b u n d a n t sp e c ie s , o r from its b e a u ty i t
is s o u g h t for b y co lle c to rs , for m a n y e x am p le s o f i t e x is t
in M u s eum s . G r e a t v a rie ty e x is ts in th e form a n d d i s tr ib
u tio n o f th e sp o ts in d iffé re n t in d iv id u a ls . T h e sp e c im en
f ig u re d in P l a t e 47, fig. 1, a fte r lo n g m a c e ra tio n iu sp irits ,
h a s a p a le y e llow ish -g ra y o r c re am -c o lo u re d g ro u n d tin t,
w ith two rows o f p u rp lish -b row n sp o ts . T h e s e sp o ts ra d ia te
in to irre g u la rly to rtu o u s , d iv a ric a tiu g , fo rk ed b ra n c h le ts ,
a n d th e ir d isk s a re p ie r c e d b y o n e o r m a n y d o ts o f th e
g ro u n d co lo u r. T h e u p p e r row , c o n s is tin g o f sm a lle r
sp o ts , ru n s on th e d o rs a l fin a n d lo p o f th e b a c k , th e lowe r
o n e o u th e s id e s , a n d th e y co a le s c e in a so lita ry sp o t a t
th e e n d o f th e ta il. T h e ir n um b e r v a rie s from tw e n ty to
tw e n ty -fo u r in e a c h row, a n d in th e sp e c im e n we h a v e
fig u re d a th ird row is in d ic a te d b y tw o o r th r e e sp o ts on
th e b e lly . T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r is fu rth e r v a rie d o n th e
b a c k b y m a n y d e ta c h e d lin e s a n d sp e ck s , b e a r in g some
r e s em b la n c e to A ra b ic c h a ra c te rs . S o la n d e r o b s e rv ed th is
v a r ie ty in th e se a , a t U lh ie te a , a n d d e s c rib e s its co lo u rs as
follows : “ M . GEOGKAPHICA, to ta a lb a , p u n c t is m a c u lis li-
n e a r ib u s r iv u lisq u e o r n a ta . R i v u l i co n jiu e n ie s in a r e a s
ro tu n d a s j la v e d in e in n n ix ta s . C a p u t s u p r a gibbosum.
I r i s a u r e o -lu le a . P u p i l la n ig ra . M a x il læ c ir c a os al-
bæ im m a c u la iæ . F o r am in a su p e rn e in n a so lu b u lo sa ,
lu te a : fo r a m in a e tiam in te ro c u la r ia I v te s c e n tia . P is c is
ce rtè p u l c h e r : ' P a rk in s o n ’s fig u re is u n fin ish ed , b u t suffic
ie n tly c h a ra c te ris tic . T h e n am e , in th e la n g u a g e o f th e
S o c ie ty I s le s , is w r itte n in th e M S S ., “ P ip iih o ,” “ P ip iro ,”
a n d “ P ip irh a .” H a rdw ic k e ’s d raw in g a lso re p re s e n ts th is
va rie ty .
T h e in d iv id u a l r e p r e s e n te d in figure 11 h a s th r e e rows
o f sp o ts , th e lowe r row, w h ic h c e a s e s a b o u t ha lf-way b e tw
e e n th e v en t a n d th e p o in t o f th e ta il, b e in g com p o sed
o f s p o ts wh ich do n o t b r a n c h lik e th e o th e rs . T h e g ro u n d
c o lo u r is a lso ev e ryw h e re th ic k ly m a rk e d w ith b la c k
s p e c k s , e x c e p t on th e b e lly , w h e re th e sp e c k s a re few.
T h e u n d e r su rfa c e o f th e b e lly , b e fore a n d b e h in d th e vent,
i s re p r e s e n te d in figure 15. T h e F o r s te r ’s o b s e rv e d th is
v a rie ty a l O la h e ite e , a n d G eo rg e F o r s te r ’s d r aw in g differs
on ly in sh ow in g few e r v e n tra l sp o ts . T h e n a tiv e n am e o f
“ P i p i r o ” is w r itte n o n th e d raw in g , a n d in th e D e s c r ip t.
A n im a l , i t i s s a id to be a lso c a lle d “ B o o h e e .” T h e c o lo u r
i s d e s c rib e d th u s : “ Color to liu s corporis lu te s c e n li a lbus,
line is, p u n c t i s , m a c u lisq u e fu s c o - n ig r i s v a r ie g a tu s . A b domen
a lb um , m a c u lis f u s c i s su h fa s c ia tum . (F o r s te r
Of" fo u rte en s p e c im e n s o f th e s e v a rie tie s , n o tw o e x a
c tly r e s em b le o n e a n o th e r in th e ir m a rk in g s . T h e d o rs a l
b eg in s b e fo re th e g ill-o p e n in g in a ll, a n d th e a n u s is n e a r y
med ian , b e in g in o n e a l ittle b e fo re th e m id d le o f th e fish,
b u t in m o s t a little b e h in d , n o t h ow e v e r e x c e e d in g a
tw en ty -fo u rth p a r t o f th e w h o le le n g th . As in a ll th e b lu n tto
o th e d MurcBuce, th e g a p e o f th e m o u tli is c om p a ra tiv e ly
T h e le n g th o f th e sp e c im e n s v a rie s from 5 to 20 in c h e s .
H a b . In d ia n O c e a n (H a rdw .) C h in e s e S e a (Be lch e r).
C o a s ts o f A u s tr a lia (B ynoe ). P o y ly n e s ia n A rc h ip e la g o
(S o lan d e r, F o rs te r).
M u r ®:na p o l y z o n a . R ic h a rd so n .
Murcmia polysona, Ricbardson, Iclilh. of Voy. of Sulphur, p. 112,
pi. 55, f. 11-14.
N a s a l te e lh b i s e r ia l; th e o u te r row com p o s e d o f m in u te
ro u n d ed te e th ; th e in n e r o n e o f t a lle r , r a th e r b lu n tis h , c o n
ic a l one s. T w o c o n ic a l te e th on th e m e s ia l lin e o f th e
d isk , som ew h a t ta lle r th a n th e m a rg in a l one s. V om e rine
te e th an te rio rly b is e ria l, p o s te rio rly c o v e rin g a w id e r su rface,
w ith th re e o r m o re ir r e g u la r rows. P a la tin e te e lh
bise ria l, th e row s c o a le s c in g b e h in d : o u te r row c o n s is tin g
o f very m in u te , low, fla ttish te e th ; in n e r o n e o f ta lle r,
slen d e rly c y lin d ric a l te e th , h a v in g m o d e ra te ly a c u te c u sp s :
th e re a re sev en o r e ig h t in e a c h row. M a n d ib u la r te e th
b i s e r ia l; th e le e lh o f th e o u te r row b e in g b y m u c h th e
sm a lle st, a n d g r a d u a lly b e c om in g le s s a s th e y a p p ro a c h
th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th ; th o s e w'liich form th e in n e r row
ta lle r, with c o n ic a l c u sp s , tw o o r th re e n e a r th e fore e n d o f
th e j aw b e in g la rg e r th a n th e re s t. T h e o u te r row o f e a ch
limb c o n ta in s e ig h te e n o r n in e te e n te e th , th e in n e r one
a b o u t twe lve .
G a p e sm a l l ; m a rg in o f th e p o s te r io r n o s tril tum id , th e
an te rio r n o s tr il b e in g , a s u su a l, t u b u l a r : b o d y m u c h c om p
re s s e d , a n d th e a n u s s itu a te d a b o u t th e th irty -fifth p a r t o f
th e whole le n g th b e fo re th e m id d le o f th e fish.
T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r is b la c k , w ith from tw e n ty - s ix to
iw c n ly -n in e y e llow r in g s , wh ich d ila te a little o n th e v en tra
l surfa c e , b u t d o n o t a c tu a lly c lo se th e re .
L e n g th 9 '3 5 in c h e s . T o a n u s 4 ’4 l in c h e s . T o gill-
o p e n in g 1'15.
H a b . U n k n ow n .
M u r .e n a c a t e n a t a . B lo ch .
Gymnothorax catenatus, Bl. t. 416. Sch«. p. 528.
N a s a l te e th b is e r ia l, c o n ic a l, b lu n tis h , a b o u t tw e lv e iu
e a ch row, s e t a lte rn a te ly , a n d in c lo s in g a h o rs c -sh o e -sh a p e d
a re a , th e p o s te r io r o n e s b e in g th e s to u te s t, b u t n o n e o f them
hig h . F rom two to fo u r s to u t c o n ic a l le e lh o n th e me sia l
lin e ; a n d in o ne c o lo u rle s s sp e c im e n , th e s e te e th , a n d
th o s e o f th e in n e r m a rg in a l row , a re so s to u t a s n e a r ly to
fill th e e n tir e d isk . V om e rin e te e th b is e r ia l, sm a ll a n d
ro u n d e d , o f d iffe re n t s iz e s . P a la tin e te e lh a lso b is e r ia l,
twelve o r th ir te e n in e a c h row ; th e o u te r o n e s low, even,
a n d b lu n tis h , s c a rc e ly r is in g ab o v e th e so ft p a r ts ; th e in n
e r o n e s h ig h e r , c o n ic a l o r c o n ic o -su b u la te , a n d n o t so
c lo s e ly s e t : th e te e th o f b o th row s sm a lle r th a n th e n a s a l
o n e s . M a n d ib u la r te e lh lik ew is e b is e ria l, e a c h lim b h a v in g
iw e n ty -tw o in th e o u te r row , w h ic h a re c lo s e ly s e t, a n d
d e e p ly im b e d d e d in th e soft p a r ts ; th o s e o f th e in n e r row
a re a little h ig h e r , b u t eq u a lly b lu n t. T h e two row s a re
c o n tig u o u s p o s te rio rly , b u t s e p a r a te a little tow a rd s th e
f ro n t o f th e jaw , w h e re th e in n e r te e th a re s to u te r , a n d
s om ew h a t w id e r a p a rt.
P o s te r io r n o s tr ils h a v in g s lig h tly ra is e d b o rd e rs . A n u s
a little p o s te r io r to th e m id d le o f th e fish. D o r s a l c om m
e n c in g a s h o r t way b e fo re th e g ill-o p e n in g .
T h e fish is c ro s s e d b y a b o u t iw e n ty - s ix n a rrow yellow
s tr ip e s , w h ich p a s s ov e r th e d o rs a l a n d down th e side s.
T h r e e o f th e s tr ip e s p la c e d b e fo re th e g ill-o p e n in g form
m e sh e s w ith e a ch o th e r, a n d som e o f th e p o s te r io r o ne s
a re in te r ru p te d , th e ir u p p e r a n d u n d e r h a lv e s a lle rn a im g .
T h e y a re m o s t r e g u la r b e fo re th e a n u s , w h e re th e y slo p e
fo rw a rd s a s th e y d e s c e n d to th e b e lly , a n d m o re ir r e g u la r
a n d w id e r o n th e ta il. A ll o f th em a re m o re o r le s s sp o tte
d with th e b la c k ish g ro u n d c o lo u r.
L e n g th 2 4 ‘5 in c h e s . T o a n u s I S ’S in c h e s . T o g ill-
o p e n in g 3 '5 in c h e s .
H a b . B e rm u d a s . C a r ib b e a n S e a . S o u th Am erica.
G y m n o m u ræ n a z e b r a . Shaw.
Z ebra eel, Sliaw Nat. Misc. 101.
Gymnothorax zebra, Bl. Schu. p. 528.
L a gymnoinuTxne cerclée, Lac. v, p. 649, >1. 19, f. 4. An. 1803.
A ll th e te e th low a n d fla tly ro u n d e d , th e la rg e r o n e s
h a v in g g e n e ra lly o n e o r two gro o v e s, w ith a n in te rv e n in g ,
a c u te , tr a n s v e r s e rid g e o n th e ir c row n s . N a s a l te e th h i-
s e r i a l ; th e o u te r row c om p o s e d o f fo u rte e n o r s ix te e n very
low t e e l h ; th e in n e r row' o f twelve o r fo u rte e n c o n s id e r a
b ly la rg e r a n d m o re p rom in e n t o n e s . T h e s e rows enc lo se
a c ir c u la r a re a , which is filled b y s ix ro u n d te e lh in two
rows. T h e d e n ta l su rfa c e o f th e v om e r h a s a n o v a l sh ap e ,
a n d th e r e a re e ig h t row s o f te e th in its m id d le , w h ic h n a r row
off to two b e fo re a n d b e h in d . T h e a n te n o r o n e s a re
in c o n ta c t w ith th e m e s ia l n a s a l one s. T h e p a la tin e te e th
r e a c h on lv a b o u t h a lf-w a v to th e c om e r o f th e m o u th , th e
s p a c e b e y o n d th em b e in g filled b y a sm o o th th ic k fold ot
s k in . On th e m a n d ib le th e te e th e x te n d to th e e x trem e
c o rn e r o f th e m o u th , b e in g o p p o s e d p o s te r io r ly to th e fold
o f sk in ju s t m e n lio u ed . T h e y s ta n d in fo u r row s be fore th e
c o rn e r o f th e m o u th , n a rrow to tlire e n e a r th e m id d le o f th e
lim b , a n d on th e a n te r io r t h i r d o f th e jaw form o n ly two d is t
in c t rows, th o u g h som e v e ry m in u te te e th m ay b e d e te c te d
a t th e b a s e o f th e o u te r row . T h e in n e r row a t th e e n d o f
th e jaw is com p o s e d o f se v e n te e th o n e a ch lim b , la rg e r
th a n th e r e s t, a n d re n d e r e d s till m o re p rom in e n t b y a cu rv e
o f th e jaw . I n th is p a r t o f th e j aw th e in n e r row s o f th e