454 TEXTBOOK OF ZOOLOGY 



Family Thunnidae. — Tunnies and Bonitos. There is not a wide 

 difference between these and the other mackerels. They reach large 

 size and are quite numerous on the high seas. 



Family Carangidae. — Pompanos. This family is another which is 

 related to the mackerels. These are tropical fish and several species 

 of them are choice food fish. 



Family Centrarchidae. — Sunfishes and Fresh-water Basses. This 

 is one of the widely distributed families with numerous species and 

 abundant individuals. The bodies of most of the sunfishes are about 

 the shape of a person's hand. They all build nests and are desirable 

 game fish. 



Family Etheostomidae. — Darters. A brilliantly colored group of 

 small fish found in clear, swiftly-moving streams. 



Family Percidae. — Perches. These fish have rather small fusiform 

 bodies with ctenoid scales. Perca flavescens, the yellow perch of the 

 northern states, is almost a classical classroom form. 



Family Serranidae. — Sea Basses. There are several important 

 food fish included in this group. 



Family Lutianidae. — Snappers. These fish, particularly Lutianus 

 campechanus, the red snapper, are abundant in the deep waters off 

 the Gulf coast. They are prized commercial fish. 



Family Sciaenidae. — Drumfishes. In this group the air bladder is 

 usually large and constructed to enable the fish to make a grunting 

 or drumming sound. They are carnivorous, and common on sandy 

 shores of warm seas. Aplodinotus, the gaspergou or drum is found 

 in fresh water. 



Suborder Cataphracti. — Sea Robins. 



Family Triglidae. — Gurnards or Sea Robins. The bodies of mem- 

 bers of this family are usually covered with rough scales. They are 

 common in all warm seas. 



Suborder Discocephali.- — Remoras. 



Family Echeneidae. — Remoras or Shark Pilots. The spinous dor- 

 sal fin of this fish is modified to form a sucker on top of its head. The 

 remora attaches itself to the ventral side of a shark and is carried 

 about with it. 



Suborder Gobioidea. — 



Family Gobiidae. — Gobies. These small, carnivorous fish are found 

 creeping about on sandy bottoms along shores and in mouths of 

 rivers. There are at least 500 species, chiefly of tropical seas. 



