Jordan and Evermann. — Fishes of North America. 2529 



Family CCXIII. MERLUCCIID.E. 



(The Hakes.) 



Body moderately elongate, covered with small, smooth, deciduous scales; 

 posterior part of body coniform and with the caudal rays procurreut 

 forward; vent submedian. Head elongate, depressed, pike-like; suborbi- 

 tal bones moderate ; mouth terminal, with strong teeth; no barbels; ven- 

 trals subjugular; dorsal fius 2, a short anterior and long posterior one, 

 a long anal corresponding to the second dorsal; ribs wide, approximated, 

 and clianneled below or with inflected sides; frontal bones paired, exca- 

 vated, with divergent crests continuous from the forked occipital crest. 

 A single genus, with about 4 species; large cod-like fishes, of voracious 

 habit, inhabiting moderate depths, and distinguished from the Gadidw 

 mainly by the stiucture of the frontal bones and the ribs. {MerluccUdce, 

 Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1884, 772.) 



975. MERLUCCIUS, Rafinesque. 

 (Hakes.) 



Merhiccius, Rafinesque, Caratteri di Alciini Kuovi Generi, etc., 26, 1810 (merluceius). 

 Onus, Rafinesque, Indice d'lttiol. Sicil., 12, 1810 {riali^merlucciuis) ; substitute for Mer- 

 luceius. 

 MerlaiKjus, Rafinesque, Indice d'lttiol. Sicil., 30, 1810 (riall) ; substitute for Onus. 

 Merlus, Guichenot, in Gay, Hist. Nat. Chili, Zool., ii. 328, 1847 (gayi). 

 Stomoclon, Mitchill, Rept. Fish. N. T. 1814. 7 (biUnearis) . 

 Homalopomus, Girard, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1856,132 {troivhridgei) . 

 Epicopus, GiJNTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., ii, 248, 1860 {gayi). 



Body elongate, covered with small, deciduous scales. Head slender, 

 conical, the snout long, depressed; a well-defined, oblong, triangular 

 excavation at the forehead, bounded by the ridges on the separated frontal 

 bones, these ridges converging backward into the low occipital crest; eye 

 rather large; edge of preopercle free; preopercle with a channel behind 

 its crest, crossed by short radiating ridges; mouth large, oblique; maxil- 

 lary extending to opposite the eye; lower jaw longer; no barbels; 

 jaws with slender teeth, of various sizes, in about 2 series, those of the 

 inner row longer and movable ; vomer with similar teeth ; palatines tooth- 

 less. Branchiostegals 7. Gill rakers long; gill membranes not united. 

 Dorsal fins 2, well separated, the first short, the second long, with a deep 

 emargination; anal emargiuate, similar to second dorsal; ventral fins 

 well developed, with about 7 rays; vertebrje iieculiarly modified, the neu- 

 ral spines well developed and wedged into one another; frontal bone 

 double and the skull otherwise peculiar in several respects. Species sev- 

 eral, very similar in appearance; ill-favored fishes of soft flesh and fragile 

 fins. Inhabiting water of some depth. Large voracious fishes, little valued 

 as food. {Merlncciiis, the ancient name, meaning sea pike.) 



a. Scales moderate, about 110 in lateral line; teeth very strong. D. 10-36; A. 36. 



MERLUCCIUS, 2899. 



aa. Scales small, 13.5 to 150 in Lateral line ; teeth moderate. D. 11 to 13-41 ; A. 41. 



6. Ventrals long, about 1| in liead. bilinearis, 2900. 



bb. Ventrals short, about 2* in head. productus, 2901. 



