Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 323 



Key to Western Atlantic Species 



I a. Length of snout, anterior to a line connecting outer corners of nostrils, about 1.5 

 times as great as distance between nostrils. 



oxyrhynchus Miiller and Henle, 1841, p. 391. 

 lb. Length of snout anterior to a line connecting outer corners of nostrils less than 

 distance between nostrils. 

 2a. Origin of 2nd dorsal over or behind midpoint of base of anal, 



■porosus Ranzani, 1839, p. 394. 

 2b. Origin of 2nd dorsal over origin of anal, or anterior to it. 



3a. Midline of baclc between ist and 2nd dorsal fins with a low but distinct 

 dermal ridge. 



4a. Free rear corner of 2nd dorsal more than twice as long as vertical 

 height of the fin and notably slender (Figs, s^ B, 59 B). 

 5a. Anterior margin of pectoral nearly as long (about 92%) as 

 from tip of snout to origin of pectorals, and longer than from 

 snout to I St gill opening. 



fioridanus Bigelow and Schroeder, 1943, p. 333. 



5b. Anterior margin of pectoral not more than % as long as from 



tip of snout to origin of pectorals, and shorter than from snout 



to I St gill opening by a distance as great as that between nostrils. 



falciformis Miiller and Henle, 1841, p. 329. 



4b. Free rear corner of 2nd dorsal considerably less than twice as long 



as vertical height of fin, and not notably slender. 



6a. Apex of ist dorsal very broadly rounded} tip of anal reaches 



nearly to origin of caudal. longimanus Poey, 1 8 6 1 , p. 3 54. 



6b. Apex of ist dorsal subangular, or very narrowly rounded j tip 



of anal separated from origin of caudal by a distance at least as 



long as diameter of eye. 



7a. Origin of ist dorsal about over inner corner of pectoral, its 

 vertical height less than distance from eye to ist gill open- 

 ing} dermal denticles regularly overlapping, with strongly 

 marked marginal teeth. 



8a. Distance from tips of pelvics to origin of anal longer 

 than base of anal} 5th gill opening at least 1.5 times as 

 long as horizontal diameter of eye } vertical height of 

 1st dorsal only a little more than length of snout in 

 front of mouth } anterior margin of nostril not lobed. 

 obscurus Lesueur, 18 18, p. 382. 

 8b. Distance from tips of pelvics to origin of anal less than 

 % as long as base of anal} 5th gill opening only about 

 as long as horizontal diameter of eye} vertical height 



