Jordan and Evcnnann. -Fishes of North America. 



2499 



U. Preopercle with 3 or 4 spines, opercle witli a 

 single one; bead partially naked. 



DiCEOMITA, 960. 

 Ick. Lateral line obsolescent, almost, or quite invisi- 

 ble; opercle with a feeble spine; head 

 smooth ; eyes small. 

 m. Ventral consisting of a single ray. 



Bassozetus, 961. 

 ,„,m. Ventral bifid. Mcebia, 962. 



jj Ventrals each of a pair of rays. 



n. Caudal fin exserted, but confluent with anal and 

 dorsal. 

 0. Head scaly. 



■p. Preopercle with small spines at its 

 angle, opercle with 1 spine. 



Neobythites, 963. 

 yjo. Preopercle unarmed. 



q. Opercle with 2 spines; ventrals 

 close together. 



Benthocometks, 964. 

 qq. Opercle with 1 strong spine; 

 ventrals far ai)art. 



Bassogigas, 965. 

 nn. Caudal not confluent with vertical fins, but 

 without distinct peduncle; teeth on jaws, 

 vomer, and palatines in villiform bands; 

 preopercle unarmed ; head scaly, 

 r. Opercle with a flat spine ; snout much pro- 

 duced and dilated; lateral line very 

 indistinct (or absent?). 



Baeatheodemus, 966. 



rr. Opercle a triangular flap, unarmed; lower 



pectoral rays prolonged, the lowest 



filamentous. Nematonus, 967, 



Hi. Lateral line represented by 3 rows of pores-dorsal, lat 



eral, and ventral; bead with spines. 



s Ventrals of 2 distinct rays; opercular spine moder 



ate, straight. Poeogadus, 968 



ss Ventrals each of 2 united rays, opercular spines 



strong, curved. Penopus, 969. 



hh. Pectorals with the lower rays differentiated. 



t Preopercle armed with 3 spines; opercle armed with 1 

 spine- lateral line obsolete posteriorly ; ventrals bihd. 



DiCEOLENE, 970. 



tt Preopercle unarmed; a single spine on opercle; lateral 

 line absent (?); ventrals each a pair of filaments, 

 closely united throughout. Mixonus, 971. 



^™eBtrals inserted on humeral symphysis ; lateral line obsolete (in 



almost every case) ; ventrals each of a single filament; body 



naked; notochord persistent. 



„. Eye visible through the skin; a few fang-like teeth on vomer 



and mandible. Baeatheonus 972. 



uu. Eye not visible ; no teeth on maxillary or palatines , teeth on 



vomer rudimentary, those on mandible small. 



Aphyonus, 973. 



