XXIII 



ACANTHOPTERYGII 



665 



Crenidens, Pcwliymetopon, Dipterodon, Sargus, Charax, Lcthrinus, 

 Sphaerodon, Sparus, Pagrus, Pagellus. 



Abundantly represented in Eocene and Miocene beds by 

 remains of Sargus, Sparus, Pagrus, Pagellus, and by the extinct 

 genera Ctenodentex, Sparnodus, and Trigonodon. Some species 

 grow to a length of three feet, such as the " Sheep's-Head " of 

 Xorth America, one of the best salt-water fishes of the United 

 States, and the " Schnapper " (^arus unicolor}, of Australia, also 

 much esteemed. Some of the Atlantic and Mediterranean species 

 of Box, Sargus, Charax, Sparus, and Pagellus are known to be 

 normally, or at least very frequently, hermaphrodite. 



FIG. 406. Gilt-head Sea-Bream (Pagrus auratus). A, its dentition. 

 (After Cuvier and Valenciennes. ) 



Fam. 24. Mullidae. The " Ked Mullets " are very nearly 

 related to the Sparidae, with which they agree in the structure 

 of the vertebral column and the presence of a subocular shelf. 

 They differ in the very weak dentition, the presence of a pair of 

 hyoid barbels, the reduced number (4) of branchiostegal rays, 

 and the double perforation of the scapula. Two short dorsal 

 fins, remote from each other, the anterior with weak spines. 



Small marine and brackish-water fishes, feeding on animal- 

 cules and decomposing matter ; inhabitants of nearly all the 

 tropical seas and extending to Northern Europe. About 50 

 species are known, referred to 5 genera : Uj)eneoides, Upeneichtliys, 

 Mullus, Mulloides, and Vpeneus. 



