488 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



> (Jliorineini, FUzbujer, Sitznugsbrr. K. Akail. dcr Wisseiisch. (Wieii), 11 fi7, 1. Abtli., 



p. :«, 1873. 

 X Niuicrnta", Flizinger, SitzniigHlier. K. Akad. dcr Wisscnscli. (\\'icu), J]. (i7, I. Abtb., 



p. ;{;?, 1873. 

 ZcidiL' gen., Swain son. 



Dr. Giinther {op. cit, p. 417) has claimed special merit for his family 

 of Carangidai, remarking "that several authors have also distinguished 

 a family Camuffidoe, but if they defined it at all tliey have applied char- 

 acters very different from those given above [his remarks], and have 

 not paid attention to the structure of the skeleton." I am not aware that 

 any author except Bleeker hatl previously distinguished a family Ca- 

 rangidje; the name "Carangida^," suggested by Agassiz, being merely 

 an orthographical substitute for subfamily names of the Caran^inj^. 

 As is too often the case with that author, Dr. Giinther has withheld all 

 definite information and means of verification of his statement. It 

 may be added, too, in this connection, that Dr. Giinther had evidently 

 also "not paid attention to the structure of the skeleton" further than 

 as to the number of the vertebr;ie, for had he done so he would have 

 avoided the remarkable combination of genera he has assembled as 

 constituents of his "OarangidiT?." 



Tlie family may be briefly diagnosed as follows : 



Scombroidea* with the vertebrne in typical (10 +14), or nearly typi- 

 cal, number, the skull not expanded backwards and outwards, but with 

 the internal as well as external lateral crests continued backwards to 

 the exoccipital condyles, and the frontal bones coalesced ; the body 

 moderately elongated and more or less compressed; a short spinous dor- 

 sal more or less developed, and a long soft dorsal and anal fins, the lat- 

 ter preceded by a more or less detached and distinct finlet of two spines 

 ( SOI n eti m es atrophied) . 



The more detailed characteristics are as follows : 



Body oblong, compressed, generally subfusiform (sometimes fusiform, 

 sometimes elevated), highest below the first dorsal fin, and with a slen- 

 der caudal i)eduncle. Anus anteromedian. 



Scales small, generally cycloid, and regularly imbricated. 



Lateral line continuous to and ending at the base of the caudal tin. 



Head compressed, oblong or short, and witli the crown generally de- 

 curved or arched. Eyes moderate and submedian or anterior. 



Siihorhital bones small and not articulated with the preoperculum. 



Opercular bones normaWy develoi^ed; suboperculum forming most of 

 the posterior border and the angle. 



Nostrils double, in front of each eye. 



Mouth moderate, with the cleft lateral and little oblique, generally 

 partly extending under the eyes. 



Upper jaw not protractile, formed above by the prem axillary bones, 



* The Scombridai aud Corypbajuidse exhibit the peculiarities of the vertebrae (as com- 

 pared with spariform aud perciform lishes, e. <j.) mauilest iu the Car.augidte. 



