95. CICHLID^, 
607 
anal II, 8, or 9. About 24 scales in the lateral line. Tropical seas. 
Large fisbes of the tropical seas, brilliantly colored, little valued as food. 
Many species occur in the West Indies, any of wliicli may be found about 
the Florida Keys. The closely related genus Scams Forskal, distin- 
guished chiefly by the stiff spines of the dorsal flu, occurs in the same 
waters, and several of its species may be looked for on our coast. (>>:, 
half; <T-w//a, mouth ; the jaws divided.) 
954. II. gMTcaEiiaBa (Cnv. & Val.) J. & G. 
Brownish, the jaws and naked iiarts of the head green; fins dark, the 
margin of the dorsal, anal, and ventrals green. Upper lip thick, cov- 
ering more than half of the plate of the jaw; lower lip full; no poste- 
rior canine teeth. A single scale on the lower limb of the preopercle, 
besides the two series of scales on the cheek ; opercle with two rows of 
scales ; top of head scaled forwards to the eyes. Eye small, about mid- 
way in head. Dorsal fin not emarginate; anal spines long and flexible; 
caudal shortish, double truncate; pectorals short. Lateral line ab- 
ruptly decurved posteriorly. Head 3; depth 3. D. X, 9; A. 11, 9; 
Lat. 1. 23. West Indies, north to Key West, Fla. 
(Scants guacamaia Ciiv. & Val. xiv, 178, 1839: Pseudoscarus guacamaia Giiutber, iv, 
•233.) 
Family XCV.— CICHLID^E. 
{The Cichlids.) 
Fresh-water Labroids. Body elevated, oblong or elongate, covered 
with moderate-sized scales, which are usually ctenoid. Lateral line in- 
terrupted, usually ceasing opposite the posterior part of the dorsal, and 
then recommencing lower down on the caudal peduncle. Mouth vary- 
ing in size, terminal, the jaws with rather small teeth, which are usually 
conical, but sometimes lobate or incisor-like; no teeth on vomer or pal- 
atines. Xostril single on each side. Prernaxillaries freely protractile; 
maxillary slii)ping under the broad preorbital. Gill- rakers vr.rious; gill- 
membranes often connected. Dorsal fin single, with the spinous por- 
tion well developed, usually rather longer than the soft i)ortion; anal 
fin with 3 or more spines, the soft part similar to the soft dorsal; 
ventral fins thoracic, I, 5. Lower pharyngeal bones united into a 
triangular piece, with a median suture. Branchiostegals 5 or G; no 
pseudobrauchim. Gills 4; a slit behind the fourth. Air-bladder pres- 
ent. A large family of fresh-water fishes of moderate or small size, 
representing, as to form, size, appearance, and habits, and even as to 
many details of structure, in the waters of South America, the Cen- 
