ICHTHYOLOGY OF VENEZUELA — SCHULTZ 151 



upward to lateral line, not parallel with it on caudal peduncle; lower jaw 

 nearly equal to upper, with two irregular rows of teeth, inner row enlarged 

 some more or less caninelike; upper jaw with a narrow villiform band of 

 teeth, with outer row enlarged, more or less small canines; gill rakers 

 moderately long; maxillary reaching well under or past eye; preorbital 



usually wider than eye Plagioscion Gill 



5b. Scales along the lateral Une of about same size as adjoining scales. 



6a. Preopercular edge with one or more projecting sharp spines; 2 pungent 



anal spines. 



7a. Anal rays 11,8; teeth in upper jaw in a vilUform band with outer row 



a little enlarged. 



8o. Lower jaw included, with the villiform teeth in a wide band, none of 



which is enlarged; mouth inferior, scarcely oblique; gill rakers 



short to moderately long, 9 or 10 + 1 + 16 to 18; first soft ray of 



pelvic fins ending in a short filament; dorsal rays XI, I (rarely 



XII,I) 21 or 22; anal rays 11,8; pectoral rays ii,16 or ii, 17; scale rows 



52 to 54 Ophioscion venezuelae Schultz 



86. Lower jaw a little included, with a narrow band of villiform teeth, 

 the inner row of which is a trifle enlarged; mouth nearly terminal, 

 oblique; gill rakers long and slender, 19 or 20 + 1 + 28 to 30; first 

 soft ray of pelvic fin ending in a short filament; dorsal rays Xf, I, 

 or XII, 1, 21 to 24; anal rays 11,8; pectoral rays about 20; scale 

 rows about 50 or 51. (See fig. 19)„Stellifer rastrifer (Jordan) 

 8c. Lower jaw oblique, equals upper jaw or nearly so, with the minute 

 teeth in a narrow band of 2 or 3 rows forward and in a single row 

 of slightly enlarged teeth posteriorly; gill rakers moderately long, 

 9orl0+l + 15orl6; first soft ray of pelvic fin not ending in a 

 filament; dorsal rays X,I,23 to 25; anal rays 11,8; pectoral rays 

 about 17; scale rows about 55 or 56. (See fig. 19.) 



Bairdiella ronchus (Cuvier and Valenciennes) 

 76. Anal rays 11,6; lower jaw included, snout projecting a little in front 

 of the premaxillary, the maxillary not quite reaching to under front 

 of eye; teeth in both jaws minute, in vilUform bands, none enlarged; 

 preopercular edge with several short spines; gill rakers rather short, 

 5 or 6 + 1 + 10 or 11 on first gill arch; dorsal rays X,I,24 to 29, 

 usually 25 to 27; pectoral rays 16 to 18; vertical scale rows above 



lateral line 81 to 87 Pachyurus schomburgkii Giinther 



66. Preopercular edge membranous, without pungent spines or with the edge 

 rather hard and finely serrate, but without projecting spines (except in 

 young about 35 mm. and shorter); preorbital usually narrower than 

 eye. 

 9a. Anal spines minute or nonpungent or flexible; upper jaw with canine 

 teeth; lower jaw longer than upper, entering or nearly entering 

 profile. 

 10a. Upper jaw with a pair or so of lance-shaped teeth, the tips flattened, 

 with cutting edges; canine teeth present in lower jaw in a single 

 row; first soft ray of pelvic fin not ending in a filamentous tip, 

 dorsal rays X,l,28; anal 11,9; gill rakers 3 -f 1 + 9; scale rows 

 120; pectoral 16 (counts made on one specimen). 



Macrodon ancylodon Bloch and Schneider 



106. Upper jaw with a pair or so of round conical pointed teeth, and 



other teeth enlarged, and in a narrow band; teeth of lower jaw 



in a narrow band with outer and inner teeth enlarged and with 



