CHAPTER XV 



THE GROUPER FAMILY 

 {Serranidce) 



The fishes of this family are characterized by 

 an oblong body, more or less compressed, covered 

 with adherent scales of moderate or small size, 

 which are usually ctenoid ; the dorsal and ventral 

 outlines do not usually correspond ; premaxillaries 

 protractile ; teeth all conical or pointed, in bands, 

 present on jaws, vomer, and palatines ; pseudo- 

 branchis large ; gill-membranes separate, free 

 from isthmus ; cheeks and opercles scaly ; pre- 

 opercle usually serrate ; opercle ending in one or 

 two flat spines ; lateral line not extending on the 

 caudal fin; lower pharyngeals narrow, with pointed 

 teeth ; gill-rakers armed with teeth. 



Mycteroperca jnicrolepis. The Gag. Body comparatively elongate 

 and compressed; head 2^; depth 3I; eye 6; D. XI, 16 to 19; 

 A. Ill, II ; scales 24-140-50; pores about 90; dorsal fin single, 

 its spines slender and weak ; head long and pointed ; mouth 

 large, the maxillary reaching beyond the eye ; teeth in narrow 

 bands, each jaw with two canines; gill-rakers few, 12 on lower 

 part of anterior arch ; scales very small, chiefly cycloid ; pre- 



285 



