The Bass and their Relatives 317 



semilineatus and other species abound in Japan, and many 

 species occur about the islands of Polynesia. Epigonus tele- 

 scopium is a deep-sea fish of the Mediterranean and Telescopias 

 and Synagrops are genera of the depths of the Pacific. Pa- 

 ramia with strong canines is allied to Apogon, and similar in color 

 and habit. 



Allied to Apogon are several small groups often taken as 

 distinct families. The species of Ambassis (Ambassida) are 

 little fishes of the rivers and bays of India and Polynesia, 

 resembling small silvery perch or bass. All these have three 

 anal spines instead of two as in Apogon. Some of these enter 

 rivers and several are recorded from hot springs. Scombrops 

 boops, the mutsu of Japan, is a valued food-fish found in rather 

 deep water. It is remarkable for its very strong teeth, although 

 its flesh is feeble and easily torn. A still larger species in Cuba, 

 Scombrops oculata, known as Escolar chino, resembles a barra- 

 cuda. These fishes with fragile bodies and very strong teeth 

 are placed by Gill in a separate family (Scombropida) . Acro- 

 poma japonicum is a neat little fish of the Japanese coast, with 

 the vent placed farther forward than in Apogon. It is the 

 type of the Acropomidcs, a small family of the Pacific. Eno- 

 plosus armatus is an Australian fish with high back and fins, 

 with a rather stately appearance, type of the Enoplosidce. In 

 his last catalogue of families of fishes Dr. Gill recognizes Scom- 

 bropidcB and Acropomidcs as distinct families, but their relation- 

 ships with Apogon are certainly very close. Many genera 

 allied to Apogon and Ambassis occur in Australian rivers. 

 Several fossils referred to Apogon (Apogon spinosus, etc.) occur 

 in the Eocene of Italy and Germany. 



The Anomalopidae. The family of Anomalopidce is a small 

 group of deep-sea fishes of uncertain relationship, but per- 

 haps remotely related to Apogon. Anomalops palpebrata is 

 found in Polynesia and has beneath the eye a large luminous 

 organ unlike anything seen elsewhere among fishes. 



The Asineopidse. Another family of doubtful relationship 

 is that of AsineopidcB, elsewhere noticed. It is composed of 

 extinct fresh-water fishes found in the Green River shales. In 

 Asineops squamifrons the opercles are unarmed, the teeth 

 villiform, and the dorsal fin undivided, composed of eight or 



