Jordan and Evcrmann. — Fishes of North America. 1697 



Suborder SCLERODERMI. 



Plectognaths with :i spinous dorsal composed of one or more spines 

 inserted just beliind tlie cranium; Ijody of the normal fish-like shape; 

 scales rough, or spinigerous, of regular form; jaws with distinct teeth, 

 conical or incisor-like. Four families may be recognized. {6K\i]p6<;, 

 hard; Se'p/^a, skin.) 



o. Ventral fing represented each by a large spine, normally articulating with the pelvic 

 bones ; scales rovmded, more or less spinigerous ; vertebra 19. 



Triacanthidje, clxviu. 



aa. Ventral fins ob.solete or the pair represented by a single spine at the end of the long 



pelvic bono; scales rougli. rhombic, or spiniform. 



6.* Vertebra? in small number, 17 to 21 ; no barbel at chin ; gill opening not before 



the eyes. 



c. First dorsal composed of 3, rarely 2 spines, the first spine very large, the 



second locking it in erection ; scales comparatively large, bony, rough, 



forming a coat of mail; vertebrjB 17. Balistid^, clxix. 



ec. First dorsal of a single spine, -with a rudiment at its base ; scales minute, 



not bony, the edges spinescent, so that the surface of the body is 



rough velvety. Monacanthid^, clxx. 



Family OLXVIII. TRIACANTHID.E. 



Body compressed, covered with small or minute rounded scales more or 

 less spinigerous. Mouth small ; teeth in 1 or 2 series in each jaw, conical 

 or incisor-like. First dorsal fin of 3 to 6 strong spines, the first one largest ; 

 soft dorsal rather long and low, similar to anal ; ventral fins each a strong 

 spine attached to the pelvic bone; vertebme (in TriacantJius) 9-|- 10=19. 

 Three genera and about 5 species; tropical shore fishes, chiefly East 

 Indian, 1 of them American. (TriacantMna, Giinther, Cat. Fishes, viii, 

 208-211,1870.) 



TrIACANTHODIN^ : 



a. Teeth conical, not incisor-like; caudal peduncle short. 



6. Teeth in one row in each jaw. Hollardia, 666. 



666. HOLLARDIA, Poey. 



Hollardia, Poet, Memorias, ii, 348, 1861 (hoUardi). 



Body compressed, rhomboid; the back elevated mesially, the dorsal 

 and ventral outlines similar. Dorsal inserted posteriorly, with 6 spines, 

 not depressible in a furrow, the first spine much larger and longer than 

 the others ; ventral spines long and rough ; teeth conical, in 1 series, about 

 10 in each jaw; no distinct lateral line; scales each of several simple spines 

 separate to the base, long and sharp. One species. (Named for Henri Hol- 

 lard,t at one time professor of zoology in the faculty of sciences at Poiters, 



* Vertebra? 29 or 30, chin with a long barbel, gill openings before the eyes, in the East 

 Indian family, Psilocephalidce. 



t " Je prie M. HoUard d'accepter mon hommage, comme un tribut de reconnaissance 

 pour le beau travail qu'il a ins6r6 dans les Annales des Sciences Naturelles." (Poey.) 



