The Sea-bass 



/'. Frontal bone of skull with a transverse ridge on posterior part. 



Petrometopon, 380 

 /'/. Frontal bone of skull without transverse ridge. 



y. Dorsal spines 9 Cetitropholis. 



jj. Dorsal spines 1 1, rarely 10 but never 9. 



k. Parietal crests not produced forward on the frontals. 



/. Scales of lateral line normal, marked by radiating ridges. 



m. Cranium narrow above the interorbital space and deeply concave; 



occipital crest meeting interorbital region Epinephelus, 381 



mm. Cranium very broad and flat above, the interorbital little concave, 



the occipital crest disappearing before reaching the interorbital 



region Garriipa, 386 



//. Scales of lateral line each with 4 to 6 strong, radiating ridges. 



Promi crops, 387 

 kk. Parietal crests produced forward on the frontals. 

 n. Frontals with a process or knob on each side behind the interorbital 



area; anal rays III, 8, rarely 111, 9. 

 0. Preopercle with a single antrorse hook or spine near the angle. 



Alphestes, 388 



00. Preopercle without antrorse spine Dennatolepis, 389 



nn. Frontals without processes on the upper surface; anal rays 111, 11 



or 12, very rarely 111, 9 or 10 Mycteroperca, 



cc. Maxillary without supplemental bone. 



p. Gill-rakers comparatively short and wide apart; lateral line not 



running close to the back (except in Serraiiiis). 

 q. Ventral fins inserted below or more or less behind axil of pectoral. 

 r. Dorsal fin with 4 or 5 spines produced in long filaments. 



Cratinus, 395 

 rr. Dorsal without long filamentous spines, not more than one of the 



spines especially produced. 

 s. Body short and deep, the back elevated, the depth more than | the 



length; preopercle with a few antrorse serrse on its lower limb. 



Hypoplectrits, 395 

 ss. Body comparatively elongate, the depth -I to ^ the length; no 



hooked spinules on lower limb of opercle Paralabrax, 395 



qq. Ventral fins anterior, inserted more or less in advance of axil of 



pectoral. 

 /. Smooth area on top of head very short and small, as seen on remov- 

 ing skin; caudal fin not lunate, but rounded or ending in 3 



points Ccntropristes, 397 



tt. Smooth area on top of head very large; caudal fin lunate or 



truncate Diplectrum, 398 



pp. Gill-rakers very long, slender, and close-set; lateral line running 



close to back Paranthias, 



371 



