Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 2)77 



Modified scales: in a series in front of dor- quently 22-24; pectoral 15 or 16, 



sal 35—45, most frequently 38-42. rarely 14. 



Ventral scutes: 27-30, usually 28 or 29. Vertebrae: 43 or 44, rarely 42 (22 speci- 



Fin rays: dorsal 17-20, most frequently mens). 



18 or 19; anal 20—25, most fre- 



BoDY deep, strongly compressed, its greatest thickness only about a third of its 

 depth, its greatest depth, at a vertical slightly in advance of origin of dorsal or the 

 tip of pectoral, 2.2—2.7 '" SL; ventral outline notably more convex than the dorsal 

 one, much more than half of greatest depth below a straight line extending through 

 lower margin of eye to middle of base of caudal. Caudal peduncle rather deep, 2.7— 

 3.5 in head, and 3.6—4.0 in greatest depth of body. 



Scales closely adherent, the exposed part 3—4 times deeper than long, the depth 

 of scale itself about twice its length (Fig. 85c); adults with prominent serrae ending 

 in somewhat blunted points, not long or hair-like and not extending quite across the 

 exposed part of the next scale; the scales much reduced in size on back and on base 

 of caudal, in rather irregular series (difficult to count accurately); about 2—4 vertical 

 rows of scales exposed between tip of pectoral and base of pelvic. A row of enlarged 

 modified scales on each side of median line of back in front of dorsal fin, rather variable 

 in number, 35-45 in each series. Ventral scutes weaker in large examples than in 

 small ones, 17 or 18, usually 17, in front of pelvic fins, and 10—13, usually 11 or 12, 

 behind them. 



Head 2.7-3.2 in SL, its depth 2.75-3.4. Snout compressed, with a sharp median 

 notch, its length 3.4-4.4 in head. Eye 3.6-4.8, most frequently 4.2-4.7. Inter- 

 orbital 4.1—4.7. Cheek deeper than long. Maxillary broadly rounded, reaching to, 

 or a little beyond, vertical from posterior margin of pupil, 1.9-2.2, usually 2.0—2.1, 

 in head. Mandible included in upper jaw, its upper margin (within mouth) nearly 

 straight, its length to joint i .55-1 -95 in head. Upper section of Opercle with very 

 feeble radiating striae, or none. Gill rakers very numerous, those on upper limb ex- 

 tending downward and across those on upper part of lower limb, the longest ones 

 somewhat exceeding length of snout; increasing in number with age and growth: 97 

 on lower limb of first arch in a specimen 70 mm TL, 113— 120 in specimens 100— 

 115 mm, and 135-150 in specimens 200-300 mm. Teeth absent in all specimens 

 at hand. 



Dorsal fin rather high anteriorly, its margin rather deeply concave, its longest 

 rays about as long as snout and half of eye, the last ray considerably longer than the 

 ones immediately before it, its origin generally about equidistant between the margin 

 of snout and base of caudal ; a very narrow sheath on its base, composed of a single 

 row of scales. Caudal deeply forked, the middle rays about as long as eye, the lobes 

 long, the lower one the longer, exceeding length of head, 2.55-3.1, usually 2.8-2.9, 

 in SL. Anal fin much lower than dorsal, its margin somewhat concave, its longest 

 rays about 0.33 as long as those of dorsal, its origin under, or a little in advance of, 



