3. CARANX. ^ 423 



eight feeble spines, sometimes rudimentary ; a spine directed forwards 

 in front of the spinous dorsal ; the second dorsal and anal more de- 

 veloped, sometimes mth the posterior rays detached ; two anal spines, 

 separated from the soft fin by an interspace (rudimentary in C. hel- 

 volus). Scales verj^ small ; lateral line with an anterior curved and 

 with a posterior straight portion, the latter with large plate-like 

 scales, several of which are generally keeled, the keel ending in a 

 spine. Dentition feeble, more or less complete. Seven branchio- 

 stegals ; air-bladder simple, bifurcate posteriorly. Pyloric append- 

 ages in great number. 



Inhabitants of nearly all the temperate and tropical seas. 



The genera established by Cuvier, in connexion with Caranx, are 

 founded on trivial, and partly erroneous characters. A more scientific 

 division, founded on the dentition, has been introduced by RiippeU, 

 and fuUy developed by Bleeker, who created names for the single 

 groups. But I am of opinion that those genera are admissible only 

 for convenience' sake, and that it is better not to adopt them ; first, 

 because the genera so formed are by no means natui-al groups, and 

 secondly, because in many species there is a considerable change in 

 the dentition, dependent on age ; the separation into distinct genera 

 would therefore lead to manilbld errors. This, however, does not 

 \ apply to the group called Caranx by Bleeker, as the dentition of those 

 ■ fishes appears to be very constant, and not liable to variation with 

 age. Leaving all the Scomhridce with an armed lateral Hne (Tra- 

 churus and Carangiclithys excepted) in the single genus Caranx, I 

 propose the following division : — 



I. The soft dorsal and anal with rays detached from the rest of the fin. 



A. With eight or nine rays detached {Megalaspis, Bleek.), p. 424. 



1. C. rottleri. 



B. With a single posterior ray detached {Decapterus, Bleek.), p. 425. 



2. C. macrosoma. 6. C. scombrinus. 10. C. Mliche. 



3. C. mxu-oadsi 7. C. jacobseus. 11. C. maruadsi 



(lajang). 8. C. kurra. (pinnulatus). 



4. C. macarellus. 9. C. kiirroides. 12. C. rhonchus. 



5. C. punctatus. 



II. None of the rays detached. 

 A. The first dorsal developed. 



1. None of the rays elongate. 



a. The teeth in the jaws are small and of equal size (if present). 



a. The height of the body is one-foxirth, or less than one-foiurth of the 

 total length. Teeth on the palate ( Caranyoides, pt., Bleek. Sekir, 

 pt., Bleek.),. p. 429. 



13. C. crumenophthalmus. 15. C. hasseltii. 18. C. novse Guineae. 



14. C. blochii. 16. C. torvus. 19. C. boops. 



17. C. gymnostethoides. 



