FISHES OF WEST COAST OP PERU. 95 



A specimen (field No. 09705) 31.5 cm. in length, from Mollendo, 

 has head 3.14 in length ; depth 2.31 ; eye 5.2 in head ; snout 2.51 ; inter- 

 orbital 2.43 ; pectoral 1.2 ; height of soft dorsal 1.73 ; height of anal 

 1.52; D. XII, 16; A. Ill, 13. 



Field No. 09718 has D. XII, 16 ; A. II, 12. 



These individuals present the same differences between this species 

 and D. freminvUlei from the Galapagos Islands as described and 

 figured by Starks.^ 



Family SCAENIDAE. 



THE CROAKERS. 



KEY TO GENERA. 



a\ Vertebrae 14 or 15+10 or 11, the abdominal portion of tlie spinal column 



having always more vertebrae than the caudal portion Cynoscion, p. 96. 



al Vertebrae 9 to 12+13 to 20. typically 10+14, the number in the abdominal 

 part of the body being always fewer than in the caudal part ; dorsal fins 

 contiguous, the soft dorsal being long, much longer than the anal. 

 6\ Lower jaw without barbels. 

 c\ Mouth more or less oblique ; preorbital usually narrow, fiat ; edge of 

 snout above upper jaw with the pores and slits little conspicuous or 

 obsolete. 

 d\ Head not very broad, the interorbital space not notably spongy nor 

 deeply cavernous ; preopercle with its membranaceous edge entire, 

 crenulate or ciliate, with no bony teeth ; teeth in lower jaw in few 



series Larimua, p. 98. 



dj^. Head very broad above, the interorbital space flattish, excessively 

 cavernous, the septa reduced to thin partitions ; soft dorsal and 



anal fins usually densely scaly . StelUfer, p. 99. 



c^ Mouth more or less inferior; snout above lower jaw with large 'pores 

 and with two more or less distinct slits on its edge; preorbital more 

 or less broad ; preopercle without bony serrations, its membranaceous 



edge entire or creuate or fringed Sciaena, p. 101. 



b\ Lower jaw with one or more barbels, either at the symphysis or on the 

 rami ; snout with slits and pores as in Sciaena; lower jaw included ; pre- 

 orbital broad ; lower teeth in villiform bands. 

 c\ Pseudobranchiae well developed; pectoral fin not elongate. Lower jaw 

 with a single thickish barbel at its tip. 

 d^. Air bladder large ; anal spines 2 ; back more or less elevated ; pre- 

 opercle with its bony margin crenate or serrate ; pectorals short, 



shorter than ventrals Vmhrina, p. 105. 



(^^ Air bladder none ; anal spine single, weak ; back not elevated ; pre- 

 opercle with its membranaceous edge crenulate; pectoral fins 



usually long, longer than ventrals Menticirrhus, p. 106. 



c^ Pseudobranchiae weak or obsolete; if present, covered by membrane; pec- 

 toral fin elongate; mandible with a row of slender barbels along its 

 inner edge, and tuft of barbels at chin Polyclemus, p. 108. 



1 Fishes from Ecuador and Peru, p. 792, pi. 66, flgs. 1 and 2. 



