1290 BtiUetin ^7, United States National Museum. 



the warm seas, most of them valued as food. Genera about 15 ; species 

 nearly 150. The group is very close to the Lutianidw on the one hand and 

 ■to the Sparidw on the other, while some of its members show affinities with 

 some Scicenidw and Serranida;. (Pristipomaiidce, Giinther, Cat., i, 272-337.) 



a. Chin with a central groove behind the symphysis of the lower jaw. 



b. Mouth more or less wide, the jaws scarlet posteriorly in life; soft parts of verti- 

 cal fins densely scaly to their margins. 

 c. Scales above lateral line arranged in very oblique series, not parallel with 

 the lateral line. 

 d. Jaws subequal, or the lower included; mouth little oblique ; gill rakers 

 comparatively few and short. 

 e. Dorsal spines 12, rarely 11; scales large; gill r.akers few and 

 small (10 to 14 on lower part of anterior arch) ; frontal fora- 

 men a single or divided slit at the base of the high supra- 

 occipital crest in front. 

 /. Mouth moderate or large, its cleft more than J length of head ; 

 back more or less elevated ; second anal spine strong, nota- 

 bly longer than third. H^emulon, 537. 

 ff. Mouth small, its cleft less than J length of head ; body rather 

 elongate; second anal spine small; back and sides with 

 longitudinal yellow stripes; teeth weak; gill rakers 

 rather few and small; snout very short, 2§ in head; 

 frontal foramina separate and placed some distance in 

 front of the very low supraoccipital crest ; premaxillary 

 spine very short, 4J in head. Beachygenys, 538. 

 ee. Dorsal spines 13; analflnlow; preorbital low ; gill rakers in mod- 

 erate or rather large numbers, 12 to 18 on lower part of arch ; 

 lower jaw not projecting; mouth little oblique; body com- 

 paratively elongate, the depth 2J to 3J- in length ; body with 

 longitudinal yellowish stripes; scales rather .small ; frontal 

 foramina long divided slits in front of supraoccipital crest ; 

 size small. Bathvstoma, 539. 

 dd. Lower jaw projecting beyond upper; snout very short ; gill rakers 

 comparatively long and slender, about 22 on lower part of anterior 

 arch; frontal foramina 2 short slits close together just in front of 

 the high supraoccipital crest; dorsal spines 12 or 13. 



Lythrulon, 540. 

 cc. Scales above lateral line arranged in longitudinal series, which are through- 

 out parallel with the lateral line; dorsal spines 13 or 14; frontal 

 foramina narrowly oval, wholly separate, some distance m front of the 

 low supraoccipital crest; premaxillary spine short, 3^ in head; lower 

 jaw projecting. Orthostcechus, 541. 



66. Mouth more or less narrow, not scarlet within; soft tins naked or with scales 

 on their basal parts. 

 g. Anal fin short, its rays III, 7 to III, 10 ; dorsal flu more or less emargiuate, 

 its spines rather robust. 

 h. Body ovate, the back elevated; depth greater than length of the 

 head; outer teeth of upper jaw enlarged; lips thick; second anal 

 spine strong ; soft rays of dorsal and anal scaly at base. 



Anisoteemus, 542. 

 hh. Body oblong, the depth usually less than length of head; lips not 

 very thick ; scales large, those above lateral line in series mostly 

 parallel with lateral line. 

 i. Preopercle very sharply serrate, the serrre at angle much en- 

 larged, those below angle turned forward; outer teeth in 

 both jaws considerably enlarged; soft r.iys of dorsal and 

 anal more or less scaly ; second anal spine enlarged. 



CONODON, 543. 



