COLLETTE and RUSSO: SPANISH MACKERELS 

 Neurocranium 



Following a general description of the neuro- 

 cranium, the four major regions are discussed: 

 ethmoid, orbital, otic, and basicraniai. 



GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS.— In dorsal 



view, the neurocranium of Scomberomorus is 

 more or less trapezoidal in shape. It is elongate 

 and flat, particularly at the anterior region and is 

 deepest at the hind end of the orbit. The dorsal 

 surface is marked by a median ridge and three 

 grooves on each side: dilator, temporal, and su- 

 pratemporal (Allis 1903:49). These grooves are 



SPHENOTIC 



PTEROTIC 



FRONTAL 



NASAL 



ETHMOID 



INTERCALAR 



EXOCCIPITAL 



VOMER 



LATERAL ETHMOID 



FIRST VERTEBRA 



EPIOTIC 



SUPRAOCCIPITAL 



a 



FIGURE ll. — Skulls in dorsal view. a. Scomberomorus commerson, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, 1,155 mm FL. b. Scom- 

 beromorus munroi, Cairns, Queensland, 800 mm FL, USNM 219372, paratype. 



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