428 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



ably a true Lutjanus, the former perhaps a representative of a tlistinct 

 genus. 



In the division of the Lufjanince, the cranial character of the separa- 

 tion of the interorbital area from the occipital region is evidently of 

 more importance than that of the squamation of the soft dorsal or the 

 separation of the spinous dorsal, characters on which Dr. Bleeker has 

 ranged the groups here noticed in three genera, Ltifjanus, Aprion^ and 

 Etelis. 



ANALYSIS OF AMERICAN GENERA ALLIED TO LUTJANUS. 



A. Nostrils remote from each other, the anterior tubular, near the end of the snout; 

 vomer with about 3 large molar teeth ; teeth in jaws coarse and 

 blunt; dorsal spines 10; soft parts of dorsal and anal scaly. {Hop- 



lopagrince) Hoplopagrus, 1. 



AA. Nostrils not far apart, the anterior not tiibular and not placed at the end of the 

 snout; vomerine teeth villiform, disposed in a patch which is /\ ,f, 

 or ^-shaped ; teeth of jaws acute. (Luijaninw.) 

 B. Interorbital area not flat nor sejjarated from the occipital I'egion, the median 

 and lateral crests procurrent on it, and the frontal narrowed for- 

 ward ; dorsal fin continuous, the sjiines not separated by a notch 

 from the soft rays. 

 C. Prefrontals, with the articular facets arising from diverging V-shaped ridges; 

 basi-sphenoid, with an anterior lobiform extension; soft dorsal and 

 anal .scalj' ; dorsal spines 10 or 11 (in American species) ; tongue with 

 teeth (at least in adult specimens). 

 D. Fronto-occipital crest ceasing anteriorly far from front of frontal ; prefrontal 

 with posterior areas impressed, long and cribriform ; no pterygoid 



teeth; caudal fin lunate; gill-rakers rather few Lutjanus, 2. 



DD. Fronto-occipitalcrest continued on ethmoidal projection; prefrontals with 

 posterior areas short and excavated above and in front ; pterygoid 

 teeth present (in the adult) in a narrow band ; caudal fin very deeply 



forked ; gill-rakers numerous OcYUUUS, 3. 



CC. Prefrontals with the articular facets developed from simple tubercles and not 

 V-shaiU'd; basi-sphenoid not lobigerous; canines small. 

 E. Prefrontals with the posterior areas cribriform ; iJterygoid, with a broad 

 patch of teeth (in adult) ; hyoid bone and tongue with teeth; dorsal 

 8pines,r2(orl3); soft dorsal and anal somewhat scaled. Riiomboplites, 4. 

 EE. Prefrontals with the posterior areas solid and somewhat tumid ; ptery- 

 goids, hyoid bono, and tongue toothless ; dorsal spines, 10; soft dorsal 



and anal scaleless Tropidinil'S, 5. 



BB. Interorbital area flat, separated by a transverse line of demarkation from the 

 occipital, by which the median as well as the lateral crests are limited; 

 frontals wide in front ; tongue and pterygoids toothless. 

 F. Dorsal fin continuous ; frontals not cavernous ; supraorbital margin cre- 

 nate ; periotic region much swollen outwards, and with the bones thin 

 and polished; preorbital moderate; frontals behind, with funnel- 

 shaped foramina ; soft dorsal and anal scaleless ; last rays of dorsal and 



anal produced Aprion, 6. 



FF. Dorsal nearly or quite divided into two fins by a deep notch ; eyes very 

 large ; preorbital very narrow. 

 G. Frontals not cavernous, simply normally perforate ; supraorbital mar- 

 gins crenate; periotic region little convex and with the bones thick, un- 

 polished ; prefrontals behind, with funnel-shaped foramina ; body com- 

 paratively elongate ; head naked above and on snout ; soft dorsal and 

 anal naked; peritoneum and lining of gill-cavity pale; caudal deeply 

 forked Etelis, 7. 



