FAMILY, VII— SCORP^NID^. 147 



Family, YII— SCORP^NIDiE, Sivainso??.. 



Sclerogenidm, pt. Owen. 



Branchiostegals five to seven -. pseudobranehiae. Body oblong', compressed or subcylindrical. Eyes 

 lateral. Cleft of mouth lateral. Some of the bones of the bead armed : suborbital ring articulated with the 

 preopercle. Teeth in villiform bands. A single dorsal fin in two distinct portions : the anal usually similar 

 to the soft dorsal : ventrals thoracic. Body scaled or scaleless. Air-vessel generally present. Pyloric 

 appendages when present, few or in moderate numbers. 



Geographical distrihution. — Some of these fishes are usually found in most seas. 



SYNOPSIS OF GENERA. 



1. Sehastes. Interorbital space conves, scaled. No occipital groove but usually a few spines on top of 

 head : no skinny appendages. Teeth in jaws, vomer and jMlatines. A single dorsal iin : no free rays at base 

 of pectoral : articulated fin-rays as a rule branched. Scales present. 



2. SebastkUhjs. Differs from Sehastes in having no teeth on the palatines. 



3. Scorpmna. Interorbital space concave, generally scaleless, with a groove on occiput laterally bounded 

 by spines. Teeth on jaws, vomer and palatines. A single dorsal fin deeply notched (D. 11 ] g.Vo) : »o free rays 

 at base of pectoral : articulated fin-rays as a rule branched. Scales present. Fleshy appendages of varying 

 size on head and body. 



4. Scorjxenojisis. Differs from Scorpmna in having no teeth on the palatines. 



5. Pterois. Interorbital space more or less concave : bones of the head armed : no occipital groove. 

 Villiform teeth in jaws and vomer, none on the palatines. A single, deeply-notched dorsal fin (D. 11-12 | to-ts) = 

 no free rays at base of pectoral : articulated fin-rays as a rule branched. Scales present. Fleshy appendages 



on head. -n i i 



6. Apiistus. Sharp preorbital and preopercular spines: bones of the head armed. Barbels present. 

 Teeth in jaws, vomer and palate. A single dorsal fin (D. ^f-i''): three anal spines: a free ray at base of 

 pectoral which is elongated : articulated fin-iuys as a rule branched. Scales present. 



7. CentroiJOfjon. Sharp preorbital and preopercular spines : bones of the head armed. Teeth in jaws, 

 vomer and palate. A single dorsal fin (D. i^:J-=) : three anal spines : no free ray at base of pectoral : articulated 

 fin-rays as a rule branched. Scales present. . . 



8. Gi/'immpistiis. Sharp preorbital and preopercular spines : bones of the head armed. Teeth in jaws, 

 vomer and palate. Two dorsal fins, the first with three spines : anal with three spines : no free ray at the base 

 of pectoral : articulated fin-rays as a rule branched. Scales rudimentary or absent. 



9. Amhhiapistus. Head and body strongly compressed: no groove across occiput. Sharp preorbital 

 and preopercular spines : bones of the head armed. Teeth in jaws, vomer and palate. A single dorsal fin 

 (D. V-tV)= t'^^'^^ ^^^1 spines: no free rays at base of pectoral: articulated fin-rays branched. Scales 

 rudimentary or absent. 



10. Micropus. Preorbital and preopercle with spines, also the sub- and inter-opercles : other bones ot 

 the head armed. No groove across occiput. Villiform teeth in the jaws only. A single or two dorsal fins 

 with less spines than rays : two weak anal spines : no free rays at base of pectoral : ventral almost rudunentary. 

 Articulated fin-rays branched. Scaleless. 



11. Minous. Head large, a gi-oove across occiput. Sharp preorbital and preopercular spines: bones of 

 the head armed. Teeth in jaws and vomer, none on the palatines. A single dorsal fin (D. f ^l^) : anal spines, 

 if present, badly developed : pectoral with a ft-ee ray at its base. Articulated fin-rays unbranched. Scaleless. 



12. Gocotropus. Head and body strongly compressed: no groove on occiput. Blunt preorbital and 

 preopercular sprues : bones of head armed. Teeth in jaws and vomer, none on palatines. A single dorsal fin 

 (D. y.^Jg') : two weak anal spines: pectoral without free rays at its base. Articulated fin-rays unbranched. 

 S c3,1g1g s s . 



13. Pelor. Head irregularly shaped, it and body with many skinny appendages : a groove across occiput. 

 Bones of the head armed. "Villiform teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Articulated fin-rays generally 

 branched. Scaleless. 



1-1. Choridactylus. Head and body compressed : a groove on occiput. Sharp preorbital and preopercular 

 spines : bones of the head armed. Teeth in the jaws, none on vomer or palate. A single dorsal fin (D. V ) ; 

 two anal spines : three free rays at base of pectoral. Articulated fin-rays branched. Scaleless. 



15. SynaMcidium. Head monstrous and irregularly shaped. liones of the head with blunt spmes. 

 Teeth in jaws and vomer but not on the palate. A single dorsal fin (D. i.\) : three anal spines : no fi-ee 

 rays at base of pectoral. Articulated fin-rays branched. Scaleless. 



16. Synanceia. Head monstrous, irregularly shaped. Bones of the head spineless. Teeth in jaws, 

 none on vomer or palate. A single dorsal fin (D. »f:|-'=) : three anal spines: no free rays at base of 

 pectoral. Articulated fin-rays branched. Scaleless. 



u 2 



