THE HERRINGS OF JAPAN— JORDAN ANT) HERRE. (327 



median or somewhat posterior, rarely wanting. No adipose tin, Ven- 

 trals moderate or small (wantino- in Pristig aster). Anal usually rather 

 long; caudal fin forked. Vertel)r;\? 40 to 56. Speeies numerous, 

 inhabiting all seas, and usually swinmiing in immense schools; many 

 species ascend fresh waters, and some remain there permanently. The 

 northern and fresh-water species, as in many other families, differ 

 from the tropical forms in having a larger number of vertebral 

 segments. 



KEY TO GENERA. 



a. (Dugsi'MiERiiN.E. ) Belly rounded, covered with ordinary scales; supplemental 

 bones of maxillary very narrow; anal fin short. 

 h. Ventrals small; teeth small, persistent, on jaws, vomer, palatines, pterygoids, 

 and tongue, 

 c. Dorsal inserted before ventrals; teeth moderate; no silvery lateral band; 



dorsal long, of 18 to 29 developed rays Etrumeiis, 7 



cc. Dorsal opposite ventrals; teeth very feeble or wanting; a broad silvery 



lateral stripe Stolephorus, 8 



aa. Belly compressed, armed with bony serrae; supplemental bones of maxillary 

 broad. 



d. (Clupein.e) Anal fin moderate, of 15 to 25 rays; dorsal inserted nearly 

 opposite ventrals. 

 e. Scales with their posterior margins entire and rounded; intestinal canal 

 of moderate length. 

 /. Last ray of dorsal not produced. 



g. Vertebrte about 50 in number (46 to 56) ; species of nothern regions. 

 h. Vomer with teeth; ventral scutes weak, ventrals below middle 



of dorsal; vertebne 50 to 56. Skeleton rather firm Chipea,9 



hh. Vomer without teeth; ventral scutes very weak, the belly more 

 or less rounded; vertebme about 52; ventrals under middle of 



dorsal. Skeleton weak, flesh oily Sardinella, 10 



gg. Vertebrfe about 42 (40 to 44); tropical species with the scales 

 large and usually tirmly attached; ventrals inserted under mid- 

 dle of dorsal; adipose eyelid obsolete Harengula, 11 



dd. (Pkistigasterin.e. ) Anal fin very long, of more than 30 rays; dorsal fin 

 inserted behind ventrals. 



ii. Teeth all villiform; no canines; ventral tins present. Ilisha, 12 



7. ETRUMEUS Bleeker. 



Etrumeus Bleeker, Verb. Bat. Gen., XXV, Japan, 1853, p. 58 (mlrropus). 

 Perkinsia Rosa Smith, Amer. Nat., 1891, p. 153 {othonops) . 



Body rather elongate, somewhat compressed, the abdomen rounded 

 and without serratures. Mouth terminal, of moderate width, formed 

 as in Clvpea, but the maxillary more slender. Teeth moderate, in 

 patches on jaws, palatines, pterygoids, and tongue. Scales cycloid, 

 entire, very deciduous. Branchiostegals numerous, very slender. 

 Ventrals inserted posteriorly, entirely behind dorsal; the dorsal fin 

 rather long, of 18 to 20 rays; anal low, of moderate length. Pseudo- 

 branchia? well developed; pyloric coeca numerous. No silvery lateral 

 stripe. Few species. Asiatic and American. 



{uruvie, Japanese name of ^Etrumeus micropiis, called by Bleeker 

 Ikan etrumei.) 



