1248 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



American and African; active, predatory fishes highly valued as food. 

 (v£o?, new; Mainis, a genus remotely related and not resembling the 

 present one.) 



NEOMjENIS : 



I. Dorsal spinoa 10 in American species ; rows of scales above lateral line 5 to 10 in 

 nnmber. 

 A. Vomerine patch of teeth diamond-shaped; scales large, those above the lateral 

 line fully parallel with it; dorsal rays X, 14; canines small; gill rakers 

 about 7. Color dark purplish-olive, scales with silvery spots. 



JORDANI, 1630. 

 AA. Vomerine patch of teeth /1\-shaped, or A-sbaped, not diamond-shaped. 

 «. Soft dorsal normally with 14 rays, rarely with 13. 



b. Anal fin rounded, its middle rays less than half length of head; no 

 black lateral spot. 

 c. Developed gill rakers 7 to 9, usually with few rudiments, if 

 any; preorbit;il deep; caudal lunate. Shallow-water spe- 

 cies, olivaceous in color, more or less marked by cross-bands 

 when young, often with a blue streak along the preorbital. 

 d. Vomerine teeth forming a /\- or /\-shaped patch, the, back- 

 ward prolongation on median line very short or want- 

 ing ; scales above lateral line in oblique series, which 

 are not throughout parallel with it; body compara- 

 tively elongate, the depth 3 to 3^ in length ; upper and 

 lower canines very strong, lower considerably stronger 

 than in other species; mouth very large; vertical fins 

 dusky ; size very large. 

 e. Maxillary 2p in head; preorbital 5J in head ; maxillary 

 reaching nearly or quite to middle of eye, 2^- to 2g 

 in head; base of pectoral dusky; head 2| in 

 length; depth 3|. D. X, 14; A. Ill, 8; scales 



6^8-13. NOVEMFASCIATUS, 1631. 



ee. Maxillary 2f in head ; preorbital 4 J in head ; maxil- 

 lary reaching past middle of eye, about 2J in 

 head ; usually a black spot or shade at base of 

 pectoral; head 2J; depth 3; D.X, 14; A. Ill, 8; 

 scales 7-50-12. cvangpterus, 1632. 



dd. Vomerine teeth forming an anchor-shaped patch, with a 

 distinct backward prolongation on the median lino; 

 second anal spine little, if any, shorter than third; 

 upper canines strong, lower moderate or small. 

 /. Scales above lateral line arranged in series which are 

 not throughout parallel with lateral line, being 

 oblique and irregular, at least below the second 

 dorsal. 

 g. Body comparatively elongate, the depth 2J to 3 

 in length; snout rather pointed; mouth 

 large, maxillary 24 in head; scales 7 in an 

 oblique series l)etween dorsal and lateral 

 line; pectoral short, not J length of head; 

 soft dorsal, anal, and caudal blackish, tinged 

 with wine color, always becoming dusky in 

 spirits; body dark greenish, more or less 

 reddish below; blue streak on preorbital dis- 

 appearing early; specimens from deep water 

 with more or less red. Head 2J ; depth 2J. 

 D. X, 14; A. Ill, 8; scales 7-50-12. 



GEISEUS, 1633. 



