THE FIATOLAS 



Family XLIV. Stromateidcs 



Body compressed, more or less elevated, covered with small or 

 minute cycloid scales; anterior profile blunt and rounded; mouth 

 small; premaxillaries not protractile; dentition feeble, no teeth on 

 vomer or palatines; oesophagus armed with numerous horny, barbed, 

 or hooked teeth; opercular bones smooth, not serrate; cheeks scaly; 

 lateral line well developed; dorsal fin single, long, with the spines 

 few or weak, often obsolete; anal fin long, similar to soft dorsal, 

 usually with 3 small spines which are often depressible in a fold of 

 skin; ventrals thoracic, I, 5 in young, but reduced or altogether 

 wanting in adult; caudal well forked. 



About 10 genera and 50 species. Fishes usually of small 

 size, found in most warm seas, many of them valued as food. 

 The following are the only genera common in America: 



a. Dorsal and anal fins very high in front, the anterior lobe 



falcate ; Peprilus, 328 



aa. Dorsal and anal fins only moderately elevated in front, the 

 anterior lobe scarcely falcate. 



b. Side of back without conspicuous series of pores abovs lateral 



line ; Palometa, 329 



bb. Side of back with a conspicuous series of large, wide-set pores 

 above lateral line; Poronotiis, 330 



GENUS PEPRILUS CUl/IER 

 The Butter-fishes 



Body ovate or suborbicular, strongly compressed, tapering into 

 a slender caudal peduncle, which has no keel or shield; head short, 

 compressed, the profile obtuse; mouth small, terminal, the jaws 

 subequal; gill- membranes separate, free from the isthmus; usually 1 

 or more procumbent spines in front of dorsal and anal, each with 

 a free point both anteriorly and posteriorly; pectoral long and narrow; 

 caudal widely forked. 



328 



