1887. ] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 65 



A REVIEW OF THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF THE GENERA 

 LAGODON, ARCHOSARGUS, AND DIPLODUS. 



By CABr. H. EIOEIVillAIVIV AND ELIZABETH G. HVCBES. 



In the following paper we give the synonymy of the North American 

 species of the genera Lagodon, Archosargus, and Diplodus, with notes 

 on the skeletons and keys for the identification of the si^ecies. 



The specimens examined have, for the most part, been collected by 

 Dr. D. S. Jordan, and are in the Museum of the Indiana University; 

 duplicate series of all these are in the United States National Museum. 



The genera of the American Sparinse maybe distinguished as follows: 



AJNTALYSIS OF THE GENERA OF NORTH AMERICAN SPARINiE. 



a. Second. iuterhsBmal spine normal, not "pen-sliaped." 



i. Front teeth conic, usually more or less canine-like ; occipital crest coalescent with 



the temporal crests Sparus.* 



bb. Front teeth broad, incisor-like ; no canines, 

 c. First spine-bearing interneural developed as an antrorse spine above. 

 d. Occipital and temporal crests nowhere coalescent, the interorbital area not 

 swollen. Bones of the Interorbital area thin, concave in transverse sec- 

 tion; temporal crest low, seiiarated from occiiiital crest by a tlattish 

 area, which extends forward on each side of the occipital crest and to 



the groove of the premaxillary spine Lagodon, 1. 



dd. Occipital and temporal crests coalescent anteriorly, both disappearing in the 

 gibbous interorbital area. Bones of the interorbital area transversely 

 gibbous and more or less cavernous or honey-combed ; temporal crest 

 separated from occipital crest by an excavated, area, which is bounded 

 anteriorly by the lateral crest, which merges iuto the occipital crest in 



the interorbital area Archosargus, 2. 



cc. First spine-bearing interneural not developed as an antrorse spine above ; 

 skull essentially as in Archosargus ; the interorbital area more cavern- 

 ous DiPLODUS, 3. 



aa. Second interhaemal spine enlarged, hollowed anteriorly, pen-shaped, receiving 

 the posterior end of the air-bladder in its anterior groove. 



e. Front teeth narrow, incisor-like ; an antrorse spine on the first spine-bearing 

 interneural ; temporal crest obsolete ; lateral crest nowhere coalescent 

 with the occipital crest ; interorbital area flattish, with two low ridges, 

 a small foramen in each of these above anterior margin of ijupil; 

 interorbital area much contracted anteriorly ; a strongly projecting 

 preorhital process which makes an acute angle with the supra-orbital 

 bone Stenotomus.I 



ee. Front teeth conic or canine-like ; no antrorse spine on first spine-bearing 

 interneural ; temporal crest very thin and high, joining the lateral crest 

 (which in this case forms part of the margin of the orbit) above the mid- 

 dle of the orbit, both coalescing with the occipital crest in the cavernous 

 anterior part of the interorbital area ; interorbital area somewhat con- 

 tracted anteriorly; the preorbital i>rocess stronger than in Stenotomus, 

 but making a very obtuse angle with the supra-orbital bone. .Calamus. 



*We have examined the skulls of S. aurata, pagrus, and erythrinus, the types of 

 Cuvier's genera Chrysophris, Pagrus, and Pagellus ; though there are some variations 

 in structure, the differences are not of generic character, nor do the teeth offer any 

 grounds for division. 



tWe have examined only the skulls of Calamus calamus and Stenotomus cliryso2)8m 

 this group. 



Proc. N. M. 87 5 



