Jordan and Evermann. — Fishes of North America. 789 



hh. Prcniaxillary broad posteriorly, its edge stroiiKly curved. 

 c. Lower jaw strong, projecting beyond the upper. 



(/, Scales small, rougli, in 70 series; teeth well developed; vomer usually with a 

 few teeth; jaws long. Letho.stole, 35.'3. 



'/<;. Scales large, smooth, in 38 to 50 series. Ohihostoma, 354. 



cc. Lower jaw moderate, its tip included; vomer without teeth, 

 e. Jaws not produced into a beak. 



/. Belly not compressed; pectoral short. 



g. Anal moderate, of L5 to 24 rays; first dorsal of about 5 spines, inserted 

 tieforjc anal. 

 /(. Teeth evident, in narrow bands; scales mo(lerat(! or large, .30 to 56. 

 i. Scales laciniate; dorsal and anal S(^aly. Xiktlandia, 355. 



n. Scales cycloid; soft dorsal and anal mostly without scales. 



Menidia, 356. 



/(//. Teeth none, or minute and caducous; scales very small, crenate, 



about 75. LErRESTHES, 357. 



gg. .\nal very long, of 27 rays; the very small first dorsal of 3 spines, 



inserted over its front; opercle short. Eurystole, 358. 



ff. Belly strongly compressed, its edge forming a more or less distinct keel 



before veiitrals; pectorals very long; first dorsal small, inserted behind 



front of the long anal. 



,/. Scales perfectly smooth. Thtbina, .359. 



.1/7. Scales rough-ctenoid. Atherinei.la, 360. 



ee. Jaws produced in a short curved beak; teeth moderate; scales small. 



LATtlDESTHES, :;61. 



aa. Premaxillaries not freely protractile, the skin of upper jaw mesially continuous with 

 that of the forehead. 

 *:. Teeth simple, pointed, arranged in villiform bands. Atherinopsis, 362. 



K-. Teeth each bicuspid or with a lateral branch, arranged in one series. Atherinops, 363. 



352. ATHERINA (Artedi) Linuaius. 

 (Fkiars.) 



Atherina (Artedi) Linn^-.us, Syst. Nat., Ed. x, 1758, 315, (hepsetus). 

 Memhras, Bonaparte, Fauna Italica, 1836, (no type indicated). 



Body oblong, compressed. Mouth large, terminal, oblique; .jaws 

 about eqital, their edges nearly straight; maxillary extending to the 

 front of eye. Premaxillaries narrow posteriorly, strongly protractile. 

 Villiform teeth in bands on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Species numer- 

 ous, mostly European, (afiepiv?/, the ancient name, from ad/jp, a spike or 

 arrow.) 



a. Anal fin rather short, of 10 to 10 rays. 



b. Scales large, 36 to 40 ; first dorsal with 5 or 6 spines. 



c. Head very broad, the interorbital width about equal to the large eye, which is 



about 2J^ in head. Scales 30 to 38. 



d. Anal rays T, 12, or I, 13 ; head about 4 in length. stipes, 1148. 



fid. Anal rays I, 10 or 11 ; head 31^ to 3% in length. latkeps, 1149. 



cc. Head narrow and pointed, the large eye much greater than interorbital width ; 



body slender and weak, depth 6 in length ; anal 1, 12; scales 40. ar^a, 1160. 



'■//. Scales small, 45 to 52; body very slender; first dorsal long, with 7 or 8 spines. 



e. .\nal rays I, 11; eye 3 in head; scales 45. iiarrinutonensis, 1151 



ee. Anal rays 1, 15; eye 2M in head; scales 52. Carolina, 1152. 



aa. Anal fin of about 20 rays ; dorsal rays V-I, 15. micbops, 1153. 



