FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 82, NO. 4 



that extends anteriorly and mesially to contact 

 the dorsolateral surface of the spear-shaped pos- 

 terior portion of the vomer. No appreciable differ- 

 ence was noted in the lateral ethmoids of the 

 different species. 



Vomer. — The vomer is the most anteroventral- 

 ly located bone of the cranium. The spatula- 

 shaped anterior process bears a large oval patch 

 of fine teeth on its ventral surface. The vomerine 

 tooth patch extends posteriorly as a narrow ridge 

 in some specimens of some species, e.g., S. con- 

 color (Fig. 15b). The vomer articulates with the 



ethmoid dorsally and lateral ethmoid dorsolater- 

 al^. The pointed posterior process is firmly anky- 

 losed dorsally with the parasphenoid. On each 

 side of the vomer, dorsolaterally and behind the 

 spatulate anterior process, is a prominent articu- 

 lar surface for a loose articulation with the head 

 of the maxilla. Posterior to this articular surface, 

 facing ventrolateral^, is a prominent sulcus for a 

 similar movable articulation with the ventral 

 branch of the anterolateral fork of the palatine. 

 The spatulate anterior process of the vomer is 

 very long and extends beyond the anterior mar- 

 gins of the nasal and ethmoid bone in Scomber- 



a 



FIGURE 16. — Skulls in lateral view. a. Acanthocybium solandri, Caribbean Sea, 1,240 mm FL. 



bilineatus, Scott Reef, Timor Sea, 453 mm FL. 



b. Grammatorcynus 



566 



