THE GRUNTS 



Fa in i I v III. HiT mnl idee 



BODY oblong, more or less elevated, covered with moderate-sized 

 scales which are adherent and more or less strongly ctenoid or al- 

 most cycloid; lateral line well developed, concurrent with the back, 

 usually not extending on the caudal fin; head large, the crests of 

 the skull usually largely developed; mouth large or small, usually 

 low, horizontal, and terminal; premaxillaries protractile; no supple- 

 mental maxillary bone; teeth all pointed, none of them forming 

 marked canines; no teeth on vomer, palatines, or tongue; pseudo- 

 branchiae large; gill-membranes separate, free from the isthmus; oper- 

 cle without spines; side of head usually scaly; dorsal fin continuous 

 or deeply notched, sometimes divided into 2 fins, the spines usually 

 strong, depressible in a groove, the spines heteracanthous, that is, 

 alternating, the one stronger on the right side, the other on the left; 

 anal similar to soft dorsal, with 3 spines; caudal usually more or less 

 concave behind; air-bladder present. 



This family is a very large one, the species being very numerous. 

 They are all carnivorous fishes chiefly of warm seas, and most of them 

 highly valued as food. Thirteen genera and about ^ species are 

 represented in our waters. 



7. Chin with a central groove behind the symphysis of the lower jaw. 



b. Mouth rather wide, the jaws scarlet posteriorly in life; soft parts 



of vertical fins densely scaled to their margins. 



c. Jaws subequal, the lower included; mouth little oblique; gill-rakers 



comparatively few and short. 



if. Dorsal spines 12, rarely 1 1 Hcvmulon, 421 



iM. Dorsal spines 13 Bathyttoma, 428 



cc. Lower jaw projecting Lythrulon, 423 



/>/'. Mouth more or less narrow, not scarlet within; soft parts of ver- 

 tical fins naked or with scales only on their bases. 



<. Anal fin short, its rays III, 7 to 10; dorsal spines rather robust. 



/. Body ovate, the depth greater than head; lips thick. 



Anisotremus, 430 



ff. Body oblong, the depth usually less than length of head ; lips not 

 so thick. 



g. Soft parts of dorsal and anal with series of small scales on mem- 

 branes Brachydeuterus, 432 



.;'#'. Soft parts of dorsal and anal without scales, except a low sheath 

 at base Poiihiilasis, 4 32 



<'('. Anal fin long and low, its rays III, 10 to n; dorsal fin low, not 

 deeply emarginate Oi'tliupristis, 431 



420 



