APRIL, 1910. FISHES OF CHICAGO MEEK AND HILDEBRAND. 295 



Order 



~? " 



PIKE-LIKE FISHES. 



Skeleton bony; anterior vertebras distinct; ventral fins abdom- 

 inal, rarely wanting; all of the fins of soft rays; no adipose fin; pec- 

 toral arch suspended from the skull; mesocoracoid wanting; oper- 

 cular bones well developed ; air bladder with a distinct duct. 



a. Lateral line present; jaws long and with large canine-like 

 teeth. Esocida, 295 



aa. Lateral line wanting ; jaws without canine-like teeth. 



b. Upper jaw not protractile. Umbridcz, 297 

 bb. Upper jaw protractile. Pceciliidoe, 298 



Family Esocidse. 

 THE PIKES. 



Body elongate, somewhat compressed posteriorly; scales small, 

 cycloid; top of head naked, its sides partly scaled; ventral fins ab- 

 dominal; mouth large; premaxillaries not protractile; jaws, vomer, 

 palatines, and tongue with teeth; stomach not ccecal; no pyloric 

 cceca; air bladder simple, with distinct duct. 



Genus Esox (Artedij Linnaeus. 

 THE PIKES. 



Body very elongate ; head depressed ; lateral line present ; branch- 

 iostegals 12 to 20; gill rakers short, toothed; gill membranes sepa- 

 rate; most of margin of the upper jaw formed by the maxillary; 

 supplemental maxillary present; some of the teeth on jaws and vomer 

 large and canine-like, a few being hinged; dorsal fin above anal, on 

 posterior part of the body. 



a. Cheeks and opercles entirely scaly; branchiostegals n or 12; 

 dorsal rays 12 ; fewer than no scales in the lateral series. 



vermiculatus , 296 



aa. Cheeks entirely scaly; lower half of opercle without scales; 

 branchiostegals 14 to 1 6 ; dorsal rays 1 4 to 1 6 ; about 125 scales 

 in the lateral series. lucius, 296 



