Jordayi and Evermann. — Fishes of North America. 1315 



and all of them are valued as food- fishes. The young are marked with 

 2 or 3 blackish lengthwise stripes. These disappear with age, quickest in 

 the brightly colored species, and persist for a long time in species like 

 bilineatKs and interi'uptua, which agree in coloration with Hcvmulon parra 

 and related species. (dvidoS, unequal; zpfjfxa, aperture, from the pores 

 at the cliin). 



Paraconodon. Bleeker (napa, near; Conodon) : 

 a. Scales above lateral liue in series parallel with the lateral line. 



b. Dorsal spines rather low, the longest not more than J length of lie.ad ; second 



anal spine about J head. 



c. Pectorals ranch shorter than head, not reaching tips of ventrals ; dorsal 



rays XI, 1.3, the spines comparatively slender, the longest J head; eye 



more than twice as wide as the narrow preorbital. pacipici, 1681. 



cc. Pectorals a little longer than head, about reaching anal flu ; dor.sal rays 



XII, 16, the spines short and stout, the longest 2J in head; eye 3, about 



J wider than the broad preorbital. Cesius, 1682. 



bb. Dorsal spines very high, the longest If in head; second anal spine very long, 



about 1| in head: pectorals much shorter than head; interorbital area 



much less than width of orbit; snout obtuse, not much longer than eye; 



cleft of mouth small, the maxillary extending to front of eye; dorsiii and 



anal spines exceedingly strong, the third dorsal spine the longest; snout 



naked, the remainder of the head being scaly; each ray of the soft fins 



accompanied by a series of minute scales, covering the caudal; caudal fin 



slightly emarginate. Dovii, 1683. 



ANISOTKEMUS : 



aa. Scales above lateral line arranged in oblique series which are not parallel with it. 

 d. Scales comparatively large, less than nine in a vertical series between first 

 dorsal spine and the lateralline; coloration olivaceous, the adult nearly 

 plain, the young with 2 or more dusky lateral stripes which disappear 

 with age; fins blackish. 

 e. Scales 5 or 6-52-15 (lateral line with 49 pores) ; scales above lateral line on 

 anterior part of body more or less enlarged, especially in the adult. 

 /. Scales above lateral line not much enlarged, about 9 in an oblique 

 series from first dorsal spine to lateral line; pi'ofile of head 

 anteriorly rounded. surinamensis, 1684. 



ff. Scales above lateral line very much enlarged, especially in the adult, 

 about 7 rows from first dorsal spine obliquely backward to lateral 

 line; profile steeper and less curved. interrdptus, 1685. 



ee. Scales 7 or 8-46-15 (lateral line with 54 pores), scales above lateral line 

 anteriorly not especially enlarged. bicolor, 1686. 



dd. Scales rather small, more than 9 in a vertical series between the first dorsal 

 spine and the lateral line. 

 g. Body not striped longitudinally with yellow or blue; preorbital narrow; 

 gill rakers a; +13. 

 h. Anterior part of body without jet-black vertical bar; axil jet-black, 

 the spot encroaching on base of pectoral ; a round black si)ot on 

 base of last rays of dorsal and anal ; body dark gray, with 

 obscure darker streaks; fins pale, edge of opercle dusky; 

 pectoral long, l^'^ in head, reaching front of anal. 



SCAPULARIS, 1687. 



hh. Anterior part of body with a black vertical bar. 



i. Body without lengthwise stripes; dark humeral bar jet-black, 

 -extending from between the fifth and seventh dorsal s])ines 

 to opposite the lower edge of the pectoral; edge of opercle 

 and base of pectoral black ; pectoral long, davidsonii, 1688. 



