Allen & Robertson: Clipperton Atoll 823

USNM, LACM.

Aulostomidae - Trumpetfishes

Aulostomus chinensis (Linnaeus, 1766)
Fistularia chinensis Linnaeus, 1766: 515 (East Indies).
Aulostomus chinensis.- Rosenblatt et at 1972: 14 (Clipperton Island).

Both yellow- and green-phase fish relatively common, several seen on every dive in 5-60 m; mainly adults and several juveniles; diurnal benthic; solitary; carnivore: fishes, crustaceans; pelagic eggs; 62 cm SL; Indo-Pacific to the Americas; underwater photographs; resident; specimens at USNM, LACM.

Fistulariidae - Flutemouths

Fistularia commersonii Riippell, 1838
Fistularia commersonii Riippell, 1838: 142 (Red Sea).

Several adults seen by us in 10-20 m on NE side of island; specimens were collected in the 1950s; roving predator; solitary or in groups; carnivore: fishes, crustaceans; pelagic eggs; 11 cm SL; Indo-Pacific to the Americas; 1: 145 mm SL; probable resident; specimens - LACM, SIO.

Syngnathidae - Pipefishes and Seahorses

Doryrhamphus excisus excisus Kaup, 1856
Dotyrhamphus excisus Kaup, 1856: 54 (no locality given).
Doryrhamphus melanopleura.- Fritzsche, 1980: 189 (Clipperton Island).

Commonly collected in most rotenone stations in 15-35 m; juveniles and adults; cryptic; solitary or in pairs; carnivore: small benthic and planktonic crustaceans; male broods eggs in pouch or on ventral surface; 4.1 cm SL; Indo-Pacific to the Americas; 12: 22- 41 mm SL; resident population; specimens at USNM. There are two subspecies of this species in the eastern Pacific (Dawson 1985), D. excisus paulus, which is endemic to the Revillagigedo Islands, and D. excisus excisus, which occurs widely throughout the Indo-Pacific, and from Mexico to the Galapagos in the eastern Pacific (Fritzsche 1980).

Scorpaenidae - Scorpionfishes

Pontinus vaughni Barnhart and Hubbs, 1946
Pontinus vaughni Barnhart and Hubbs, 1946: 371 (Baja California)
Pontinus vaughni.- Fischer et at 1995: 1552 (Clipperton Island)

Not seen or collected by us; cryptic, solitary; carnivore: fishes and crustaceans; pelagic eggs; 45 cm SL; an eastern Pacific species that ranges from central to lower Baja California and has been collected at the Revillagigedos and Clipperton; probably a vagrant as only one specimen is known from Clipperton and it probably is a warm temperate species; however, because other members of the genus live in deep water (Fischer et at 1995) it is possible that it is a resident below 50 m; specimen at SIO.

Scorpaenodes xyris (Jordan and Gilbert, 1882)
Sebastopsis xyris Jordan and Gilbert, 1882a: 369 (Cape San Lucas, Baja California).

A secretive, rarely seen species, several specimens collected with rotenone on rocky slopes to depths of 35 m, numerous specimens collected in the 1950s; juveniles and adults; nocturnal benthic; solitary; carnivore: fishes and crustaceans; pelagic eggs; 7 cm SL; TEP, from Southern California to Peru, also Galapagos Islands; 20: 13-69; probable resident; specimens at USNM, SIO, LACM.

Serranidae - Groupers

dermatolepis dermatolepis (Boulenger, 1895)
Epinephelus dermatolepis Boulenger, 1895: 256 (Cape San Lucas, Baja California).
Epinephelus dermatolepis.- Smith 1971: 162 (Clipperton Island).

Abundant on outer slope in 10-40 m; juveniles (associated with Diadema) and adults; diurnal benthic; solitary; carnivore: fishes and crustaceans; pelagic eggs; 80 cm SL; TEP,