COMMON MAEINE FISHES 23 



50b. Tail moderately forked or simply curved inwardly ; 

 caudal peduncle short and thick. 

 o3a. Sides with vertical brassy bars alternating with 

 brassy spots or color entirely brassy. 

 Barred perch, Amphistichus argenteus (page 87). 

 53b. Body speckled with brown, sometimes forming 

 vague bars ; sometimes tinged with red ; not 

 brassy. 



Salt-water perch, Crossochir koelzi ^ot illus- 

 trated). 

 27b. Anal fin with 1 or 2 spines at the front (may be difficult to see; 

 scrape the front of the fin if in doubt) . 

 54a. Lateral line ends under the soft part of the dorsal fin. 

 55a. Color chiefly dark brown. 



Blacksmith, Chromis punctipinnis (page 88). 

 55b. Color chiefly bright orange. 



Garibaldi, Hypsi/pops ruhicundn (page 89). 

 54b. Lateral line ends at or on the caudal fin. 



56a. Dorsal fin continuous ; no notch between rays and spines. 



Ocean whitefish, Caiilolafilus princeps (page 73). 

 56b. Either a notch between spiny and soft portions of dorsal fin or 

 two separate dorsal fins. 

 57a. Lower jaw extends to or beyond tip of snout. 

 58a. Dorsal fins 2, well-separated. 



Queenfish, Seriphus polUus (page 66). 

 58b. Dorsal fins 2, at least in contact. 



59a. Pectoral fin more than ^ the length of the head ; no 

 prominent canine-like teeth in upper jaw. 



"White sea bass, Cynoscion nobilis (page 67). 

 59b. Pectoral fin less than i the length of the head ; 1 or 2 

 prominent canine-like teeth in middle of upper jaw. 

 Shortfin sea bass, Cynoscion parvipinnis (not illus- 

 trated). 

 57b. Snout extends beyond tip of lower jaw. 



(50a. One short barbel at tip of lower jaw. 

 61a. Aaal fin with 2 strong spines at front. 



Yellowfin croaker, Umbrina roncmlor (page 68). 

 61b. Anal fin with 1 (rarely 2) weak spine at front. 

 California corbina, Menticirrhus undulatus 



(page 69). 

 60b. Either no barbel or several minute ones at tip of lower 

 jaw. 

 62a. Large, thick spine at front of anal fin. 



63a. Large black spot at base of pectoral fin ; pectoral 

 fin as long as head. 



Spotfin croaker, Roncador stearnsii (page 70). 

 63b. No spot at base of pectoral ; pectoral fin much 

 shorter than head. 



Black croaker, Cheilotrema saturnum (page 71). 

 62b. No enlarged spine at front of anal fin. 



Kingfish, Ocnyonemus lineatus (page 72). 



SECTION D 

 Fish Without Ventral Fins 



la. Pectoral fins absent. Moray, Gymnothorax mordax (page 121). 



lb. Pectoral fins present. 



2a. Upper jaw prolonged into a sword. 



Broadbill swordfish, Xiphias gladius (page 65) . 

 2b. Upper jaw not prolonged into a sword. 



3a, Body eel-like. Blenny-eels (pages 119 and 120). 



3b. Body not eel-like. 



