160 BULLETIN 189, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



wanting on palatines in Pinguilabrum) , usually small and conical, some 

 of the jaw teeth more or less enlarged in some genera; gill covers 

 free from the isthmus, sometimes attached to shoulder by a membrane, 

 generally ending in 1 or 2 flat spines; gills 4, a slit behind the fourth 

 arch ; branchiostegals 6 or 7 ; nostrils 2 on each side ; lateral line usually 

 complete, not extending on caudal fin; scales moderate or small, 

 extending forward on opercle and cheek, usually ctenoid, occasionally 

 embedded; dorsal with 2 to 15 stiff spines, and 10 to 30 soft rays; 

 anal short, w^th 3 spines, or rarely with none, and 7 to 12 soft rays; 

 ventrals thoracic, with a slender spine and 5 soft rays. 



A large family, of which 14 genera are represented in the Peruvian 

 fauna. 



In this family the head was measured consistently from its tip 

 to the point of the principal spine of the opercle, and the depth at 

 the vertical from the base of the ventral fins. 



KEY TO THE GENERA 



a. Dorsal fin with about 9 to 16 spines; anal with 3 spines; scales on sides of 

 body not embedded, with free margins. 

 6. Preopercle with one or more antrorse spines at or in front of angle; supple- 

 mental maxillary bone present; anal short, with about 7 to 9 soft rays; 

 caudal broadly rounded. 



c. Scales very small, about 145 to 150 oblique series above lateral line; 



pectoral with about 19 to 21 rays Acanthistius (p. 161) 



cc. Scales notably larger, about 70 to 80 oblique series above lateral line; 



pectoral with about 16 or 17 rays Alphestes (p. 163) 



bb. Preopercle without antrorse spines at and in front of its angle, the serrae 

 at angle often more or less enlarged, occasionally in 1 or 2 clusters; caudal 

 truncate, emarginate or slightly forked, or more or less rounded. 



d. Caudal long, som.e of the middle rays produced in adult; lateral line 



high, not paralleling the contour of back; about 23 gill rakers on lower 



limb of first arch Hemanthias (p. 166) 



dd. Caudal not as above, none of the middle rays being produced; lateral 



line not placed close to back, generally paralleling contour of back. 



e. Dorsal with 11 to 16 spines, and 16 to 19 soft rays; anal with 11 to 13 



soft rays (exclusive of Epinephelus, which has only 7 to 9) . 



/. Dorsal with 16 spines; anal with 13 soft rays; maxillary without a 



supplemental bone; about 16 gill rakers on lower limb of first 



arch Pinguilabrum (p. 168) 



ff. Dorsal normally with 11 spines; anal with 7 to 12 soft rays; maxillary 

 with a distinct supplemental bone. 

 g. Anal with 11 or 12 soft rays; about 20 to 23 gill rakers on lower 



limb of first arch Mycteroperca (p. 169) 



gg. Anal with 7 to 9 soft rays; about 9 to 18 gill rakers on lower limb 

 of first arch. 

 h. Head broad, depressed betv.-een the eyes; scales in lateral line 

 with 4 to 6 strong radiating ridges; 9 or 10 gill rakers on 



lower limb of first arch Promicrops (p. 171) 



hh. Head narrower, scales of lateral line with normal radiating 

 striae; 13 to 18 gill rakers on lower limb of first arch. 



Epinephelus (p. 172) 



