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Size groups Subspecies and populations In adult specimens, considerable overlap occurs among subspecies and populations in morphometric and meristic characters (Tabs I, II, IV; Fig. 3). In morphometric characters, size-related allometric variation, i. e. between juveniles and adults (see above), is often much larger than body-shape variation among subspecies and populations (Tabs I-III; Fig. 3). Mulloidichthys f. flavolineatus and M. f. flavicaudus show considerable overlap in all morphometric and several meristic characters when compared directly. Slight differences exist in the number of lateral-line scales (34 - 38 in M. f. flavolineatus vs. 33 - 35 in M. f. flavicaudus; Tabs II-IV) and in a lower first dorsal-fin spine detectability in adult M. f. flavicaudus (25 % vs. 58.6 % in M. f. flavolineatus in the Indian Ocean and 76.2 % in the Pacific; Tabs II, IV). However, no clear and consistent distinction is reached even when combining number of lateral-line scales and first dorsal-fin spine detectability with any other characters. The populations of M. f. flavolineatus from the Indian Ocean and Pacific overlap considerably in morphometric and meristic characters (Tabs I-IV; Fig. 4). Dorsal-fin spine detectability is slightly higher in the Pacific compared to the Indian Ocean population (76.2 vs. 58.6 %), being highest in the Hawaiian Archipelago (90 %; Tabs I, II, IV). The most prominent distinction among the four Pacific populations occurs in the three specimens from Wake Atoll, which show longer heads, barbels and pectoral fins, and larger eyes than similar-size specimens of all other M. f. flavolineatus populations and M. f. flavicaudus (Fig. 4). In addition, the Wake specimens differ from the Hawaiian Archipelago population in deeper head through eye, slightly shorter anal-fin base and slightly shallower body and higher anal and first dorsal fins (Tab. I; Fig. 4). Several specimens of the Hawaiian population show relatively short heads, small eyes and short ba