Jordan and Everinann. — Fis/ics of North America. 981 



e. Auiil spines 2 or 1, very rarely obsolete; vertebras in increased number (30 to 46). 



Peucid^k, cxliii. 



ee. Aual spines 2 (rarely 3); vertebra) 24 or 25; pseudobranclii.'e well developed; dorsal 



fin divided. Chrilodii-terid.i;, cxliv. 



eee. Anal gpines 3 or none, never 2 nor 1; pseudobranchia' well developed; dorsal fin 



continuous or divided; vertebra; 24 to 35. 



{. Vomer, and usually palatines also, with teeth. 



g. Lateral line strongly marked, e.xtending to end of caudal fin; boily elon- 

 gate; teeth small. Centroi'omid.t-:, cxi.v. 

 ijg. Lateral lino not extending on caudal fin. 



It. Anal fin shorter than dorsal; head not everywhere covered with rough 

 scales; postocular part of head not shortened. Serramd.^;, cxlvi, 

 /(/(. Anal fin scarcely shorter than dorsal and similar to it; head and body 

 everywhere covered with rough scales; body deep, comi)ressod. 



Priacanthid.t;, cxlviii. 

 ff. Vomer without teeth; dorsal fin continuous; body deep, compressed. 



LOBOTIU.K, CXIVII. 



ao. Maxillary slipping for most of its length under the edge of the preorbital, which forms a 

 more or less distinct sheath; ventrals with an accessory scale; opercle without spines; 

 maxillary without supplemental bone; anal spines 3, rarely 2. 



i. Carnivorous species; intestines of moderate length; teeth in jaws notall incisor-like; 

 vertebra^ usually 24 or 25. 

 j. Spines of premaxillary not greatly pro<luced, not extending backward to the 

 occiput; mouth moderately protractile. 

 h. Vomer with teeth. 



I. Teeth iu jaws usually unequal, some of them more or less canine-like; 

 no distinct tubercles from the crauium for the articulation of the 

 epipliaryugeals; enlarged apophyses for the articulation of the 

 palatines and preorbital; first 4 vertebrae without parapophyses; 

 maxillary long. Lutianid.k, cxlix. 



lik. Vomer without teeth ; palatines and tongue toothless. 



m. Teeth on sides of jaws not molar; maxillaries formed essentially as in 

 the /Seni()ii(Z;E. • H.t^mulid.t;, cl. 



mm. Teeth on sides of jaws molar; maxillaries peculiar in form and in 

 articulation, unlike those of the Serrauiche. Anterior teeth coni- 

 cal, or else more or less incisor-like; preoporcle entire. 



Sparid.t:, cli. 



jj. Spines of premaxillary extending backward to the occiput, so that the mouth 



is excessively protractile; preorbital very narrow. 



n. Lower pharyngeals well separated; teeth in jaws small or wanting; vomer 



with minute teeth or none; dorsal fin continuous or deeply notched; 



preopercle entire. M.hnid.t-;, clii. 



nil. Lower pharyngeals closely approximated, often apparently united ; teeth 



present, small; dorsal fin notched. Gerrid.t:, cliii. 



a. Herbivorous species: intestinal canal elongate; auterior teeth in jaws incisor-like; 



no molars or canines; premaxillaries moderately protractile. 



KvrHOSin.-K, ri.iv. 



Family CXL. ELASSOMID^. 



( Pigmy Suxfisiies. ) 



Body oblong, compressed, covered with rather large cycloid scales. 

 Mouth small, terminal, the lower jaw projecting ; each jaw with rather 

 strong conic teeth, in few series, directed forward vomer with a few 

 weak teeth ; palatines toothless ; upper jaw very protractile. Bones of 

 Lead with entire edges. Cheeks and opercles scaly. Gill membranes 



