no. 3647 PERCIFORM FISHES — GOSLINE 65 



Suborder Anabantoidei. — An epibranchial air-breathing organ; 

 gas bladder extending posteriorly well beyond the body cavity; teeth 

 usually present on the parasphenoid. (Compiled.) 



Superfamilies : Anabantoidae, Ophicephaloidae, and Lucio- 

 cephaloidae. 



Suborder Kurtoidei. — Ribs much expanded, enclosing the 

 anterior portion of the gas bladder partially, the posterior portion 

 completely; males with an occipital hook, formed by the supraoccipital, 

 used for carrying eggs. (From de Beaufort and Chapman, 1951.) 



This suborder contains the single genus Kurtus. 



Suborder Acanthuroidei. — High-headed, compressed fishes with 

 more or less lunate caudal fins, the gill openings restricted below, and 

 small mouths; nasal bones elongate, more or less rigidly attached to 

 the cranium; teeth specialized, setiform in the Zanclidae, bicuspid to 

 multicuspid in the rest; cleithra expanded below; additional armature 

 present in the form of (1) a spine at the corner of the mouth in juvenile 

 zanclids, (2) one or more spines on the caudal peduncle of acanthurids, 

 or (3) a second pelvic spine in teuthids. (Compiled.) 



Superfamilies: Acanthuroidae and Teuthidoidae ( = Siganoidae) . 



Suborder Ophidioidei. — Pelvics, when present, consisting of one 

 or two filamentous rays inserted ahead of the pectoral fins; dorsal 

 and anal fins long and low, spineless except in Gadopsis, the rays 

 considerably more numerous than the vertebrae between them; one 

 or more of the first few ribs usually expanded. (Reworded from pre- 

 ceding account.) 



The Ophidioidei generally have not been divided into separate 

 superfamilies. 



Suborder Stromateoidei. — "Perciform fishes with toothed sac- 

 cular outgrowths in the gullet immediately behind the last gill arch" 

 (Haedrich, 1967a, but see also Haedrich, 1967b). 



Haedrich (1967a) recognizes only a single superfamily (including 

 the Tetragonuridae) . 



Suborder Xiphioidei. — Large oceanic fishes with 23-26 vertebrae 

 and the anteriormost interneurals interdigitating between the cranium 

 and the first vertebra; pelvic fins absent or reduced to three or fewer 

 rays; pectorals inserted low on the sides; mouth inferior except in 

 Lwoarus. (Compiled.) 



Superfamilies : Xiphioidae and Luvaroidae. 



Suborder Scombroidei. — Vertebrae 30 or more; predorsal bones 

 lacking; postorbital members of the circumorbital series of bones 

 either fragmented or absent; upper jaw fixed except in Scombrolabrax. 

 (Reworded from preceding account.) 



Superfamilies: Scombroidae and Trichiuroidae. 



280-835—68 5 



