Jofdaii and Evermann.— Fishes of North America. 2189 



teetli villiform, tho outer scarcely enlarged ; vertebrse 12 + 13 (dormitor) ; 

 skull above with conspicuous elevated ridges, one of these bounding the 

 orbit above, tho orbital ridges connected posteriorly above by a strong 

 cross ridge ; a sharp longitudinal ridge on each side of the occipital, the 

 two nearly jiarallel, the post-temporals being attached to the pos- 

 terior ends. Insertions of post-teuiporals widely separated, the .dis- 

 tance between them greater than the rather narrow interorbital width ; 

 the post-temporal bones little divergent ; top of head depressed, both 

 before and behind the cross ridge between eyes ; a flatfish triangular 

 area between this and tlie little elevated supraoccipital region ; pre- 

 opercle without spines ; lower pharyngeals with slender, depressiblc 

 teeth, and without lamelliform appendages ; scales of moderate size, 

 ctenoid. Philypnus, 801. 



dd. Vomer without teeth; isthmus broad; gill openings scarcely extending for- 

 ward below to posterior angle of preopercle; skull without crests, 

 e. Body scaly, both anteriorly and posteriorly. 



/. Lower pharyngeal teeth stiff and blunt; the bones with an outer 

 series of broad flexible lamelliform appendages, which are 

 rudimentary gill filaments; body short and elevated; teeth 

 slender, those in the outer row scarcely larger, and movable; 

 top of head without raised crests, flattish, its surface uneven; 

 post-temporal bones rather strongly diverging, the distance 

 between their insertions about J the broad flattish interorbital 

 apace; no spine on preopercle or branchiostegals ; scales large, 

 ctenoid. Species herbivorous. Dormitator, 802. 



ff. Lower pharyngeals normal, subtriangular, the teeth stiff, villi- 

 form, no lamelliform appendages; scales of moderate or small 

 size; body oblong or elongate. 

 g. Body moderately robust, the depth 4 to 5h times in the length 

 to base of caudal ; scales ctenoid ; cranium without dis- 

 tinct median keel; a small supraoccipital crest. 

 h. Post-temporal bones little divergent, not inserted close 

 together, the distance between their insertions 

 greater than the moderate interorbital space, or 

 3^ in length of head; top of skull little gibbous; 

 lower pharyngeals narrower than in Eleolris; pre- 

 opercle without spine; scales very small, about 110 

 in a longitudinal series. Vertebnt? 11 + 13; teeth 

 moderate, the outer series on lower jaw enlarged. 



Gdavina, 803. 

 A/i. Post-temporal bones very strongly divergent, their in- 

 sertions close together, the distance between them 

 about f the narrow interorbital space, and less than 

 f length of head; top of skull somewhat elevated 

 and declivous; interorbital area somewhat convex 

 transversely; lower pharyngeals rather broad, the 

 teeth bluntish; preopercle with partly concealed 

 spine diiected downwards and forward at its angle ; 

 scales moderate, 45 to 60 in a longitudinal series ; 

 vertebras (pisonis) 11 -f 15 ; teeth small. 



Eleotris, 804. 



gg. Body very slender, elongate, the depth 8 to 9 times in length 



to base of caudal ; scales very small, cycloid. 



i. Preopercle with a partly concealed antrorse hook at its 



angle ; caudal with numerous accessory rays at 



base. Alexurus, 805. 



