92. GERRIDJE GERRES. 583 



a slit between it and tlie preorbital to permit its free motion ; both jaws 

 with slender, villiform teeth ; no incisors, canines, nor molars ; no teeth 

 on vomer or palatines; preopercle entire or serrate; sides of head 

 scaly; nostrils double, round; pseudobranchise concealed; gill-iakers 

 short, broad ; gill-membranes separate, free from the isthmus ; dorsal 

 fin single, continuous or deeply notched, the spinous and soft portions 

 about equally developed, with a scaly sheath along the base, as in Em- 

 biotocidcc; dorsal spines usually 9 or 10 ; anal usually with 3 spines ; the 

 soft portion of the fin similar to the soft dorsal, but shorter ; ventral 

 fins thoracic, I, 5 ; branchiostegals G ; lower pharyngeal bones firmly 

 united, with a suture; air-bladder present; pyloric coeca rudimentary; 

 vertebrae 10-14. Oviparous. Species about 30, inhabiting the tropical 

 seas. They differ considerably in form, and in development of spines, 

 but probably all may be referred to a single genus. 



(Gerridce Gunther, iv, 252-264.) 



3O6. QERRES Cuvier. 



(Cuvier, Regne Auim. ed. 2, ii, 1829: type Gerrea plumieri Cuv. & Val.) 



Character of the genus included above. (An ancient Latin name of 

 some similar fish.) 

 a. Preopercle serrate ; second spines of dorsal and anal mucli enlarged. (Gerres.} 



919. O. plBimaeri Cuv. & Val. 



Brilliant silvery, a blackish stripe along each row of scales, making 

 about 12 streaks, the upper concurrent with the back and thus strongly 

 curved ; fins, except the pectorals, dusky. Body compressed, the back 

 much elevated, the profile steeply descending and somewhat concave, the 

 snout rather pointed ; lips full, mouth quite small, the maxillary reaching 

 front of the pupil of the large eye, which is longer than snout, 3^ in 

 head; three rows of scales on cheek; scales large, smooth, adherent; 

 longest dorsal spine nearly as long as head, longer than longest anal 

 spine ; pectorals narrow, pointed, reaching past tips of veutrals to anal ; 

 caudal forked; ventral with a large accessory scale. Lat. 1. conspicuous, 

 its scales 38. Head 3J in length ; depth 2. D. IX, 12 ; A. Ill, 9, the latst 

 rays not much higher than the scaly sheath. West Indies, north to 

 Eastern Florida. 



(Cuv. & Val. vi, 452; Gtiuther, iv, 253.) 



aa. Preopercle entire ; second spines of dorsal and anal little enlarged. (Diapterus* 

 Ranzani.) 



* Diapterus Ranzani, N. Comui. Ac. Sc. Bol. 1841 : = Eucinostomus B. & G. (dtaxre- 

 poS, having the fin divided.) 



