8a Dark brown bar from upper end of gill opening to
P axil; A rays 14-16; Drays 15-17; LL scales 37-44 ....... M. kuntee
8b Dark brown pigment in region of gill opening,
if present, confined to opercular membrane;
A rays 11-15; Drays 13-16; LL 32-40 ................................... 9
9a Dark brown pigment of opercular membrane
ending at opercular spine or slightly below;
A rays 13-15; Drays 14-16; front of lower jaw
fitting into a shallow notch in upper jaw................... M. pralinia
9b Dark brown pigment of opercular membrane, when
present, extending well below opercular spine (usually
to level of upper P base); A rays 11-13; Drays 13-15;
front of lower jaw fitting into a deep notch in upper jaw ......... 10
lOa No dark brown pigment on opercular membrane;
fins orange-red, the spinous D tips white; LL 35-40 ....... M. vittala
lOb Opercular membrane dark brown; C and much
of D, A and V yellow, the spinous D not
tipped with white; LL 32-38 ................................. M. chryseres
132.20 Myripristis adusta
Bleeker, 1853
PLATE 21
Shadowfin soldier
Skaduvin-soldaat
Myripristis adustus Bleeker, 1853: 108 (Ambon); Smith, SFSA No.
298a; Greenfield, 1974: 27*. Myripristis melanostictus (non Bleeker):
Smith, 1955: 5*; 1961: 566, No. 298c.
D XlI,14-15 (modally 15); A IV,12-14; P 15-16; LL 27-29; GR
(10-13)+(23-27) = 35-40. Interorbital width 3.2-4.9 in head; 1 (rarely 2)
scales on inner side of P base; 1 or 2 pairs of symphysial tooth patches at
front of lower jaw just outside gape.
Pale salmon pink, the edges of scales dorsally on body
deep blue to black; spinous D blackish except for a broad
pale lengthwise band in middle of fin; soft D, A and C
broadly bordered by black (broadest on C lobes and elevated parts of soft D and A); opercular membrane dark
brown to level of upper edge of P base, becoming black in
region of opercular spines; P axil blackish. The largest
species of Myripristis, reaching a length of 32 cm. IndoPacific, south to Natal. A reef fish of relatively shallow
water.
132.21 Myripristis berndti
Jordan & Evermann, 1903
PLATE 22
Bigscale soldier
Grootskub-soldaat
Myripristis berndti Jordan & Evermann, 1903: 170 (Honolulu); 1905:
153*; Randall & Gueze, 1981: 11 *.
D XlI,13-15; A IV,11-13; PIS; LL 28-31; total GR 35-42. Interorbital
width 4.3-5.8 in head; inner side of P base with small scales; lower jaw of
adults prominently projecting when mouth closed; a single pair of tooth
patches at symphysis of lower jaw just outside gape.
Silvery pink, sometimes pale yellowish, the edges of the
scales red; opercular membrane blackish brown, the lower
Yz usually silvery; naked part of P axil black; outer Yz of
132: HOLOCENTRIDAE (SQUIRRELFISHES, SOLDIERFISHES)
spinous D yellow to orange-yellow; other fins red, the leading edges white (sometimes with submarginal blackish
streak). Attains 30 cm. Indo-Pacific and tropical eastern
Pacific; south to Natal. Occurs in relatively shallow water
(usually 3 - 15 m) on coral reefs or rocky bottom which may
be exposed to surge.
132.21 Myripristis berndti: ea. 20 em type (after Jordan & Evermann, 1905).
132.22 Myripristis chryseres
Jordan & Evermann, 1903
PLATE 22
Yellowfin soldier
Geelvin-soldaat
Myripristis chryseres Jordan & Evermann, 1903: 171 (Hilo, Hawaii);
1905: 150*: Greenfield, 1974: 14*.
D XlI,13-15; A IV,l1-13; PIS; LL 32-38; total GR 33-38. Interorbital
width 4.0-4.8 in head; no scales on inner side of P base; a single pair of
tooth patches at symphysis of lower jaw just outside gape; vomerine tooth
patch triangular with rounded corners; front of lower jaw fitting into a
deep notch in upper jaw when mouth closed.
Body light red with scale edges darker red, the body
sometimes suffused with yellow; black on opercular membrane extending well below opercular spine; spinous D
mottled yellow and red, the membrane tips red; remaining
median fins more yellow than red, with red posterior
borders; P with light red rays; V with leading edge white,
the first 2 soft-rays yellow, the rest offin light red. Attains
25 cm. Known only from Hawaiian Ids., Japan, Samoa, Sri
Lanka, Reunion Id. and Aliwal Shoal (Natal). A species of
moderately deep water (generally more than 30 m).
132.23 Myripristis hexagona
(Lacepede, 1802)
PLATE 22
Doubletooth soldier
Dubbeltand-soldaat
Lutjanus hexagon us Lacepede, 1802: 213, 214 (Sumatra). Myripristis
hexagonus: Randall & Gueze, 1981: 4*.
D XlI,13-15; A IV,120r 13 (usually 12); LL25-28; GR (12-15)+(24-29)
= 36-43. Interorbital width 4.1-5.1 in head; numerous small scales on
inner side ofP base; 2 pairs oftooth patches, one above the other, at symphysis of lower jaw just outside gape (lower pair absent on juveniles but
may be seen on individuals as small as 75 mm SL); vomerine teeth in a
broad V-shaped patch.
423
P axil; A rays 14-16; Drays 15-17; LL scales 37-44 ....... M. kuntee
8b Dark brown pigment in region of gill opening,
if present, confined to opercular membrane;
A rays 11-15; Drays 13-16; LL 32-40 ................................... 9
9a Dark brown pigment of opercular membrane
ending at opercular spine or slightly below;
A rays 13-15; Drays 14-16; front of lower jaw
fitting into a shallow notch in upper jaw................... M. pralinia
9b Dark brown pigment of opercular membrane, when
present, extending well below opercular spine (usually
to level of upper P base); A rays 11-13; Drays 13-15;
front of lower jaw fitting into a deep notch in upper jaw ......... 10
lOa No dark brown pigment on opercular membrane;
fins orange-red, the spinous D tips white; LL 35-40 ....... M. vittala
lOb Opercular membrane dark brown; C and much
of D, A and V yellow, the spinous D not
tipped with white; LL 32-38 ................................. M. chryseres
132.20 Myripristis adusta
Bleeker, 1853
PLATE 21
Shadowfin soldier
Skaduvin-soldaat
Myripristis adustus Bleeker, 1853: 108 (Ambon); Smith, SFSA No.
298a; Greenfield, 1974: 27*. Myripristis melanostictus (non Bleeker):
Smith, 1955: 5*; 1961: 566, No. 298c.
D XlI,14-15 (modally 15); A IV,12-14; P 15-16; LL 27-29; GR
(10-13)+(23-27) = 35-40. Interorbital width 3.2-4.9 in head; 1 (rarely 2)
scales on inner side of P base; 1 or 2 pairs of symphysial tooth patches at
front of lower jaw just outside gape.
Pale salmon pink, the edges of scales dorsally on body
deep blue to black; spinous D blackish except for a broad
pale lengthwise band in middle of fin; soft D, A and C
broadly bordered by black (broadest on C lobes and elevated parts of soft D and A); opercular membrane dark
brown to level of upper edge of P base, becoming black in
region of opercular spines; P axil blackish. The largest
species of Myripristis, reaching a length of 32 cm. IndoPacific, south to Natal. A reef fish of relatively shallow
water.
132.21 Myripristis berndti
Jordan & Evermann, 1903
PLATE 22
Bigscale soldier
Grootskub-soldaat
Myripristis berndti Jordan & Evermann, 1903: 170 (Honolulu); 1905:
153*; Randall & Gueze, 1981: 11 *.
D XlI,13-15; A IV,11-13; PIS; LL 28-31; total GR 35-42. Interorbital
width 4.3-5.8 in head; inner side of P base with small scales; lower jaw of
adults prominently projecting when mouth closed; a single pair of tooth
patches at symphysis of lower jaw just outside gape.
Silvery pink, sometimes pale yellowish, the edges of the
scales red; opercular membrane blackish brown, the lower
Yz usually silvery; naked part of P axil black; outer Yz of
132: HOLOCENTRIDAE (SQUIRRELFISHES, SOLDIERFISHES)
spinous D yellow to orange-yellow; other fins red, the leading edges white (sometimes with submarginal blackish
streak). Attains 30 cm. Indo-Pacific and tropical eastern
Pacific; south to Natal. Occurs in relatively shallow water
(usually 3 - 15 m) on coral reefs or rocky bottom which may
be exposed to surge.
132.21 Myripristis berndti: ea. 20 em type (after Jordan & Evermann, 1905).
132.22 Myripristis chryseres
Jordan & Evermann, 1903
PLATE 22
Yellowfin soldier
Geelvin-soldaat
Myripristis chryseres Jordan & Evermann, 1903: 171 (Hilo, Hawaii);
1905: 150*: Greenfield, 1974: 14*.
D XlI,13-15; A IV,l1-13; PIS; LL 32-38; total GR 33-38. Interorbital
width 4.0-4.8 in head; no scales on inner side of P base; a single pair of
tooth patches at symphysis of lower jaw just outside gape; vomerine tooth
patch triangular with rounded corners; front of lower jaw fitting into a
deep notch in upper jaw when mouth closed.
Body light red with scale edges darker red, the body
sometimes suffused with yellow; black on opercular membrane extending well below opercular spine; spinous D
mottled yellow and red, the membrane tips red; remaining
median fins more yellow than red, with red posterior
borders; P with light red rays; V with leading edge white,
the first 2 soft-rays yellow, the rest offin light red. Attains
25 cm. Known only from Hawaiian Ids., Japan, Samoa, Sri
Lanka, Reunion Id. and Aliwal Shoal (Natal). A species of
moderately deep water (generally more than 30 m).
132.23 Myripristis hexagona
(Lacepede, 1802)
PLATE 22
Doubletooth soldier
Dubbeltand-soldaat
Lutjanus hexagon us Lacepede, 1802: 213, 214 (Sumatra). Myripristis
hexagonus: Randall & Gueze, 1981: 4*.
D XlI,13-15; A IV,120r 13 (usually 12); LL25-28; GR (12-15)+(24-29)
= 36-43. Interorbital width 4.1-5.1 in head; numerous small scales on
inner side ofP base; 2 pairs oftooth patches, one above the other, at symphysis of lower jaw just outside gape (lower pair absent on juveniles but
may be seen on individuals as small as 75 mm SL); vomerine teeth in a
broad V-shaped patch.
423