WASHED ABOARD 

 ATLANTIC LINER 



CHAPTER VII: BARRACUDAS, REMORAS 

 AND OTHERS. 



Barracudas. Remoras or Sucking-fishes. Flatfishes. 

 Halibuts. Sun-fishes or Head-fishes. 



BARRACUDAS. 



(Family Sphyr^nid^e ; Genus Sphyrcena.) Fig. 53. 



With the Barracudas we complete our survey of the great 

 Order of Perch-like fishes (Percomorphi). The Barracudas, 

 with the smaller Grey Mullets and Sand Smelts or Atherines, 

 form yet another suborder, the Mugiloids. The members of 

 this group are distinguished from the Percoids by the backward 

 position of the pelvic fins, which are situated well behind the 

 pectorals. The Barracudas may be described as follows : 



The body is long, moderately compressed, and covered 

 with small, smooth scales. The head is very large, pointed 

 and pike-like in appearance. The mouth is large, with power- 

 ful jaws, and the lower jaw projects beyond the upper. The 

 teeth are strong, fang-like, unequal in size, and set in sockets 

 in the jaws and on the roof of the mouth ; there is usually a 

 very large, sharp canine tooth near the front of the lower 

 jaw. The gill-covers are without spines, and are covered 



