Family APHREDODERIDAE 



THE PIRATEPERCH FAMILY 



The body of the pirateperch is considerably compressed, the back 

 somewhat elevated, and the head flattened above. The mouth is of 

 medium size and rather oblique, with the lower jaw projecting beyond 

 the upper. The jaws, vomer, palatines, and pterygoids bear teeth; the 

 upper jaw is not protractile; the maxillary bones are well developed. 

 The edges of the preopercle and preorbital are toothed or serrated. There 

 is a spine on the opercle. No pseudobranchiae are present. There are 6 

 branchiostegal rays. No lateral line is present. In adults the vent is 

 located just back of the lower jaw. The air bladder is simple; the pyloric 

 caeca number 12. This family contains but one American genus. 



GENUS Aphredodenis LeSueur 



This genus contains one species, found from Minnesota eastward to 

 New York and south to Texas. 



WESTERN PIRATEPERCH 



Aphredoderus sayanus gibbosus (LeSueur) 



The western pirateperch (Figure 35) is a very dark, purplish fish. 

 The caudal fin has two black bars at its base with a lighter bar be- 

 tween. This species becomes somewhat iridescent and yellow-bellied 

 in the spawning season. The body is oblong, rather heavy anteriorly, 

 and compressed posteriorly. The back is somewhat elevated in the 

 region of the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin is rather high and has 2 spines 

 and 6 soft rays. The ventral fins have 1 spine and 7 soft rays. The head 

 is contained 3 times in the length, the depth 3 times. The scales are 



2^/- 



Fignre 35. Western pirateperch, Aphredoderus sayanus gihhosus, 

 5 inches long, preserved specimen. 



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