Jordan and Evennann. — Fishes of North America. Yill 



supraoccipital, the postfrontals confined to the sides, ethmoid more or leas 

 projecting in front of frontals; postfrontals extending outward as far as 

 frontals; prosethmoid short and narrow, little prominent to view above; 

 vertebnu few, 7 or 8 + 9 to 13. Gill openings small, phiced close in front 

 of pectorals; air bladder present. Genera about 10, species about 60, 

 inhabiting warm seas; fishes of sluggish movements, noted for their habit 

 of filling the stomach with air. When disturbed they then float on the 

 surface belly upward. Not used as food, the flesh being ill flavored and 

 reputed poisonous. (Te<?-o(7on/iHrt, part, Giinther, Cat., viii, 270-316, 1870.) 



TETBAGDONTIX.E : 



a. Frontal bones expanded sidewise and forming the lateral roofs of the orbits, the 

 postfrontals limited to the posterior portions. Species chiefly marine. 

 6. Nostril on each side witli 2 distinct openings; frontal region longer than broad. 

 c. Dorsal and anal fins compar.itively long, falcate, each of 12 to 15 rays; 

 caudal lunate; vertebra- about 8 4- 13:= 21: nostrils sessile, or nearly so, 

 not forming a distinct papilla ; mucous tubes on upper part of head and 

 on sides of body very conspicuous. Lagocephalus, G77. 



ec. Dorsal and anal flns comparatively short, rounded, each of 6 to 8 rays; 

 caudal usually rounded ; vertebraj about 8 + 10=: 18; nostrils at the 

 summit of a hollow, simple (or lobed) papilla; mucous tubes incon- 

 spicuous. SPHEROniES, 678. 

 hh. Nostril on eacli side with a bifid tentacle without distinct opening; frontal 

 region broader than long ; fins and vertebrae as in Spheroides. Ovoides, 679. 

 COLOMESIN^ : 

 aa. Frontal bones narrowed and excluded from the orbit, the postfrontals being elon- 

 gated and projected forward and connected with the prefrontals; dorsal and 

 anal fins short, rounded ; snout very obtuse ; vertebras 8 + 11 = 19 ; nostrils 

 (probably) as in Spheroides. Fluviatile species. Colomesus, 680. 



677. LAGOCEPHALUS, Swainson. 



Lagocephalus, Swainson, Nat. Hist, and Class'n Fishes, 11, 194, 328, 1839 (pen7ianti= 

 lagocephalus). 



Physogaster, Mullee, Abhandl. Akad. "Wiss. Berlin, 252, 1839 (1841) (lunaris) ; name pre- 

 occupied. 



Gastropht/sus, MOller, Wiegmann's Archiv, rx, 1843, 330 (lunaris). 



Let Promecocephales {Promecocephalus), Bibron, Eevue de Zoologie, 279, 1855 (argentatus). 



Tetrodon. Gill, Cat. Fish. East Coast N. A., 15, 1873 (Icevigatus) ; not of Linn^us, as prop- 

 erly restricted. 



Body comparatively elongate; skin smooth or variously prickly, the 

 prickles most developed on the abdomen; abdomen capable of very great 

 inflation. Dorsal and anal rather long, falcate, of 12 to 15 rays each; 

 caudal lunate. Nostril without distinct papilla, each one with 2 distinct 

 openings; mucous tubes 011 upper part of head and on sides of body very 

 conspicuous. Lower side of tail with a fold. Species reaching a rather 

 large size, chiefly tropical, one of them, Lagocephalus lagocephalus L., reach- 

 ing the coasts of southern Europe. Vertebra^ in increased number (about 

 8 + 13=21). The increased number of vertebra:' and of rays in the verti- 

 cal fins mark a transition toward the allied family, Chonerh'midie, in which 

 there are about 29 vertebra^ the dorsal rays about 35, the anal 30. {Xdyo';, 

 hare; xE^aX^), head, from the incisor teeth.) 



a. Body elongate; head 3J in length: depth 4^. l.evigatds, 2143. 



aa. Body stout; head 2i in length; depth 3J. PACHYCEPHAlus, 2144. 



