36. ELOPIDiE MEGALOPS. 
261 
of villiform teeth iu both jaws aud ou vomer, palatines, pterygoids, 
tongue, and base of sknll. No large teeth. Eye large, with an adipose 
eyelid. Gill-membranes entirely separate, free from the isthmus. 
Branchiostegals numerous (20-35). Gill-rakers long and slender. 
PseudobranehicTB present or absent. Belly not keeled nor serrated, 
covered with ordinary scales. Lateral line present. Dorsal fin over 
or rather behind ventrals. Caudal fin forked. No adipose fin. Pyloric 
cceca numerous. Two genera, not much alike, with 4 or 5 species, widely 
distributed, sometimes entering fresh waters. 
{Clupcidce group Elopina Gunther, vii, 469-472.) 
’^Body elongate, covered with small scales; anal fin smaller than dorsal. (Elopinw.) 
a. Pseudobranchi® iwesent Elops, 118. 
** Body oblong, covered with large scales ; anal fin larger than dorsal. {Megalopunv.) 
h. Pseudobranchi® obsolete Megalops, 119. 
118.— EIjOPS Linn®u8. 
Big-eyed Herrings. 
(Linn®us, Syst. Nat: type Elops saurus L.) 
Body elongate, covered with thin, small, silvery scales. Dorsal fin 
slightly behind ventrals, its last rays short, the fin depressible into a 
sheath of scales. Anal fin smaller, similarly depressible. Pectorals 
and ventrals moderate, each with a long accessory scale. Opercular 
bones thin, with expanded, membranaceous borders; a scaly occipital 
sheath or collar. Lateral line straight, its tubes simple. Pseudobran- 
chise present, large. Species 2 or more, widely distributed, remarka 
ble for the development of scaly sheaths. (sV.oi/', name of some sea-fish — 
a sword-fish or sturgeon; from IXaio^ to drive or move.) 
435. E. sa.lirus L. — Big-eyed Herring. 
Uniform silvery, darker above. Gular plate 3-4 times as broad as 
long. Head 4^; depth 5-6. Eye large, 4-5 in head. D. 20; A. 13; V. 
15; B. 30; scales 12-120-13. L. 24 inches. Cape Cod to Cape of Good 
Hope and China. A handsome fish, not rare on our Atlantic coast. 
(Liun. Syst. Nat. ; Guutber, vii, 470.) 
119.— 4IEGAEOPS Lac6pMe. 
Tarpims. 
(Commerson; Lac6pMe, Hist. Nat. des Poissous, v, 289, 1803: Megalops filamen- 
tosus Eac.=iChipea cypi'inoides Broussonet.) 
Body oblong, compressed. Head large, compressed. Eye very large. 
Belly narrow, covered with ordinary scales. iMouth large, oblique. 
