Lethrinus kallopterus Bleeker, 1856: 47, Menado; Günther, 1859: 460, Menado compiled; Bleeker, 1876-77:113, pl. 351, fig. 3, Celebes, Batjan, New Guinea; Herre & Montalban, 1927: 408, pl. 2, fig. 3, Philippines; Fowler, 1928: 216, compiled; 1933: 30, fig. 3, Philippines, Celebes, Bouro; Weber & Beaufort, 1936: 432, fig. 85, Indo-Australian Archipel., Bleeker's specimens; Hiyama, 1943: 57, pl. 9, fig. 26, Marshall Is.; Schultz in Schultz et al., 1953: 548, Bikini, Rongelap; Smith, 1959: 288, pl. 21, figs. C & D, East Africa; Marshall, 1964: 198, Queensland (key) ; Munro 1967: 327, pl, 43, New Guinea; Gushiken, 1972: 39, fig. 188, Okinawa I.; Masuda et al., 1975: 60, fig. A, 234, southern Japan; Kyushin et al., 1977: 164, Chagos.
Lethrinus erythropterus Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1830: 313, Ulea.
Lethrinus erythracanthus Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1830: 314, Luganor.
Lethrinus striatus Steindachner, 1866: 479, pl. 5, Zanzibar.

Specimens examined.

Holotype. —RMNH5760 (1 of 2 individuals: 290mm standard length) from Menado, Celebes.
UG1967 (285) from Guam I., Marianas.
UMUTZ52652 (305) from New Ireland I.
UMUTZ52554 (310) from New Guinea.
UMUTZ52575 (385) from Ishigaki I., Ryukyus.
RMNH5760 (1 of 2: 196) from Batjan or ?New Guinea.
BMNH81. 10. 20. 64 (300) from Mortlock I., Solomon Is.

D. X, 9; A. III, 8; P₁. 13; P₂ I, 5; C. 8 + 7; L. lat. 47 or 48; Ltr. 6 or 7/i/15 or 16.

Proportional measurements of some specimens are shown in Table 4.

Head length less than body depth. End of jaws usually on the vertical through anterior margin of orbit. Interorbital area convex. Third to fifth dorsal spines longest. Soft anal base distinctly shorter than the longest soft anal ray. Lobes of caudal conspicuously obtuse. 5 scale rows between lateral line and median dorsal spines. Inner base of pectoral densely covered with scales. Lateral teeth of jaws include wide and roundish ones but not distinct molars.

Color. —Head dark brown with little orange spots all over. Operculum and body paler. Spinous dorsal yellow with orange spots. Soft dorsal, anal, caudal, paired fins, rim of operculum and base of pectoral strong red or orange.

Distribution. —East Africa to Ryukyus, Samoas, Australia.

Remarks. —Both L. erythropterus and L. erythracanthus were based on Mertens & Ketlitz's drawings. The original descriptions of these two species are insufficient, but Valenciennes's unpublished sketches of those drawings exactly show the characteristic body shape and beautiful color of the present species. Though the name L. erythropterus is older, the name kallopterus is adopted here because the latter has often appeared in recent literature, to the exclusion of names that had been previously used.