KEY TO FAMILIES OF PISCES. 71) 



pp. Ventral rays about I, 7. 



q. Dorsal spines 3 or 4; vent anterior. 



Apiiredodebid^, 83. 

 qq. Dorsal spines al)ont 11 ; vent normal ; scales 

 large, very rough. 



Berycid^, 82. 

 qqq. Dorsal spines about 10; vent normal; scales 



minute Zenid^e, 81, 



EEE. Ventral fins witb or without spine ; the; number of soft rays less than 5. 

 r. Dorsal fin composed of spines only. 



s. Dorsal fin extremely liigb BRAlvnDjf;, 79. 



ss. Dorsal fin low Blenniid/E, 112. 



rr. Dorsal fin of spines anteriorly, of soft rays pos. 

 teriorly. 

 t. Pectoral fins entire. 

 u. Body entirely covered with series of bony 



plates Triglid^, 108. 



«M. Body not mailed. 



V. Suborbital witb a bony stay. 



COTTID^, 107. 

 vv. Suborbital without bony stay. 



Blenxiid^, 112. 

 • tt. Pectoral fin divided to the base in two un- 

 equal parts Triglid^, 108. 



rrr. Dorsal fin of soft rays anteriorly, of low spines 



posteriorly ZoARCiDiE, 115. 



rrrr. Dorsal fin of soft rays only. 



w. Dorsal fin very short ; body mailed. 



TRIGLIDyE, 108. 

 WW. Dorsal fin very long ; body with 

 snuill scales. 

 X. Dorsal aiul anal joined to the cau- 

 dal ; pseudobranchios present. 

 y. Gill membranes joined to the isth- 

 mus ZOARCIDiE, 115. 



yy. Gill membranes free from tho 



isthmus Ophidiid^, 118. 



sex. Dorsal and anal free from the cau- 

 dal or nearly so ; no pseudo- 

 branchia;. 

 z. Tail isocercal ; chin usually with 



a barbel Gadid^e, 120. 



zz. Tail dii)hycercal, no barbel. 



BrotulidvE, 119. 

 CC Body scaleless, smooth or armed with tubercles, prickles, or scattered bony 



plates. 

 'Breast with a sucking disk. 



A. Gill membranes free from the isthmus ; no spinous dorsal GOBIESOCID^, 111. 



AA. Gill membranes joined to the isthmus. 



B. Skin smooth Liparidid^, 109. 



BB. Skin with tubercles or spines CYCLOPTERlDiE, 110. 



** Breast without sucking disk. 



C. Ventrals completely united Gobiid^, 104. 



CC. Ventrals separate. 



