45 6 



Pareioplitae, or Mailed-cheek Fishes 



Suborder Craniomi: the Gurnards, Triglidae. A remarkable off- 

 shoot from the Pareioplitcz is the suborder of gurnards, known 

 as Craniomi (Kpdviov, skull; cSjuo?, shoulder). In these fishes 

 the suborbital stay is highly developed, much as in the Agonida, 

 bony externally and covering the cheeks. The shoulder-girdle 

 is distorted, the post-temporal being solidly united to the cra- 

 nium, while the postero-temporal is crowded out of place by 

 the side of the proscapula. In other regards these fishes resemble 

 the other mail-cheek forms, their affinities being perhaps closest 

 with the Agonida or certain aberrant Collides as Ereunias. 



In the true gurnards or Triglida the head is rough and 

 bony, the body covered with rough scales and below the pectoral 

 fin are three free rays used as feelers by the fish as it creeps 

 along the bottom. These free rays are used in turning over 

 stones, exploring shells and otherwise searching for food. The 

 numerous species are found in the warm seas. In Europe, 



PIG. 409. Sea-robin, Prionotus evolans (L.). Wood's Hole, Mass. 



the genus Trigla, without palatine teeth and with the lateral 

 line armed, is represented by numerous well-known species. 

 Trigla cuculus is a common form of the Mediterranean. Cheli- 

 donichthys, similar to Trigla but larger and less fully armed, is 

 found in Asia as well as in Europe. Several species occur in the 

 Mediterranean. Chelidonichthys kumu is a common species in 

 Japan, a large fish with pectorals of a very brilliant variegated 

 blue, like the wings of certain butterflies. 



Lepidotrigla, with larger scales, has many species on the 

 coasts of Europe as well as in China and Japan. Lepidotrigla 



